Keep the Memory of My Face, Wipe the Tears Away
by Kkristabell
Summary: An abduction leaves the team at wits end, and Booth desperate enough to break all the rules to find his partner, Bones.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hope you all enjoy the suspense, mystery and intrigue this fic brings! Happy reading!

Disclaimer: Unfortunately none of it's mine….

He stared down at the soft brown hair falling across her forehead. She looked beautiful, so much so that the urge to take her almost overpowered him. It was only years of training in self-denial that prevented him from doing just that. Her name reinforced it as well, Temperance, it meant 'moderation' or 'control', something he was using in abundance throughout this night.

She sighed, shifting in her dreams, curling a hand under her cheek in a childish manner. Sleep lorded over her like an oppressive master, keeping her consciousness at bay.

Moving to the window he checked to make sure the slatted blinds blocked all glimpses if light from the streetlamps and passing cars. It wouldn't do for them to be disturbed this soon. After all half the fun was in the wait.

A beige blanket appeared in his hand. Draping it over her to ward off the chill, he smiled at the gift he'd been given. Smart, beautiful, characteristics that usually eluded him in the women he chose, but not his time. This was his moment, his opportunity. He only wished the time to keep her could be extended, but he knew the rules. Come morning she'd be gone, vanished like so many before her…by morning she'd be dead.

tbc……..


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: It's not mine. sniffle**

**Sundown to Sunrise it beats inside,**

**but as of mid-morning it Will flee her Eye.**

** Aries**

**Booth resisted the urge to crumple the photocopy of the note in his hand. All of them had been staring at the same words for hours with no inspiration as to what they meant. Cam, Hodgins, Angela, Zack, they all looked exhausted, albeit determined.**

**"If taken literally the message merely states the impossible. That this 'Aries' plans to remove her heart by way of the eye socket, which is almost physically unfeasible," Zack informed the group.**

**Hodgins rolled his eyes. "Gee Zack, we know that, but this guy isn't talking in literal terms, alright? He's speaking metaphorically, figuratively or just plain crazy-ily if you ask me. We need to find the meaning behind his language."**

**"The only thing that beats inside a body is the heart, so we know he means that she's going to be alive all night until at least sunrise tomorrow morning," Angela interjected trying to refocus her colleagues. "The fleeing her eye part is a little more difficult…"**

**"Difficult," Booth interrupted, "I can handle that part, it's not 'difficult' at all- - it means he's gonna kill her tomorrow morning! There, mystery solved." Agitated with being confined to an oval table discussing his partner's approaching demise, instead of out doing something to find her made him ready to lose what little control he had left. "Why can't we go look for where this guy might have her rather than sitting around analyzing words written by a guy who's insane!"**

**"Booth! While the initial investigation revealed that he couldn't have taken Dr. Brennan far, we still don't have a search perimeter. What are you going to do, run around in the dark hoping to stumble across her? This guy is giving us these notes, these…these clues for a purpose. If we want to find her before he… We just need to follow the clues. For example anyone have a theory as to why those four letters are capitalized," Cam asked.**

**Booth frowned, examining the note. "An abbreviation maybe?"**

**Zack wrote the letters on the dry erase board- SSWE. Silence enveloped the room as everyone racked their brain. **

**"Possibly directional information, like S, SW and E."**

**"Or maybe a destination, a place name that's been shortened."**

**"What if it's not the letters, but the words that start with the capital letters?"**

**"You mean Sunrise, Sundown, Will and Eye all have importance?"**

**"Yeah." Zack scurried to write the words, as new energy filled the room.**

**Suddenly Hodgins sprang from his seat, reaching frantically for a file he'd perused earlier.**

**"What is it, what do you remember?" Angela's eyes held hope that they might have at least one clue.**

**"We were going through all the cases you and Brennan worked together trying to find a suspect," he eyed Booth excitedly. "Nothing seemed to lead anywhere, but those letters from the words Zack posted. I swear they match the letters in the name of a raped murder victim you guys investigated last year," Hodgins flipped open the file. "Okay Zack, mark off the letters as I spell her name. Ready?"**

**Zack nodded, listening intently as Hodgins spoke. "S-U-N-N-Y, space, W-I-L-L-O-W, space, D-U-R-S-S-I-N." Everyone stared at the board, all the letters matched. "Sunny Willow Durssin, real name Saundra, but 'Sunny' was her nickname."**

**Booth seemed puzzled, and then his countenance cleared. "Of course. She was raped and strangled. Found the body in Georgetown, pretty far decomposed because she'd been left exposed to the elements. We never caught her killer."**

**"So either the same killer just coincidentally struck again, or, and this is probably a better theory, someone in Ms. Durssin's life is out for revenge because you never caught her murderer," Cam informed them.**

**All eyes turned to Booth. "I'm going to track down every family member, friend, acquaintance she ever had." He turned to Cam," You think the note could give us anything else?" She shrugged, "It's possible." Booth nodded. "You guys keep at it. I'll call you if anything comes up." He strode from the room, making a silent promise to Bones that he'd find her before it was too late.**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Thank everyone who's read and reviewed! It's greatly appreciated! hugs to all**_

**Disclaimer: I wish it were mine, but it's not.**

**Booth slammed his fist against the steering wheel, releasing a violent string of curses. Nothing. He'd come up empty. Sunny Durssin didn't have any family left. Her friends were nothing more than glorified acquaintances, who had attended her sparse funeral, only to forget about her three weeks later. None had motive or even passion enough, to avenge her death.**

**Grabbing his phone he punched in Cam's number, hoping they'd had better luck processing the note. She answered on the first ring, spilling information the minute she came on the line. "We might've figured out another part of the note. He, this Aries guy, he used the word 'flee' in his note, 'Will flee her eye'. We all thought his choice of wording was odd, but Angela recognized that 'flee' doesn't necessarily refer to running away from danger. Its other definitions mean 'to hurry towards a place of security, or 'to pass away swiftly'. "**

**"And? What does that mean for us," Booth demanded. He impatiently drummed his fingers against the dash. Cam sighed. "What it means Seeley, is that he might believe he's giving Dr. Brennan some sort of favor in his killing of her, security or peace of some sort."**

**"Oh great. So he's just gone from crazy, up a few notches to whack-job with a messed up conscience."**

**"Pretty much. Any luck with tracking down the family and friends?"**

**"No. It was all a dead end, which leads me to believe that you may have been right."**

**"About the same person who killed Saundra Durrsin kidnapping Dr. Brennan?"**

**"Yeah."**

**"I don't know Booth; do you really think it's possible? What could his motive be?"**

**"Hell I don't know Cam, but it seems like the only answer for the time being so I'm gonna run with it. I'm gonna go over all the evidence from the Durrsin case see if anything fits. I'll keep you posted." He snapped his phone closed before Cam could reply. He needed to think, to re-analyze every minute detail of that old case. It might prove to be the only was to save his partner.**

**A man meandered up to the SUV's window, obviously drunk, banging half-heartedly at the window. Booth lowered the glass. "What do you need sir?" **

**The man weaved, almost fell down, and then righted himself. "Nothinnggss," he answered slurring every word. "I've gots sssomethinng foor ya." The man handed Booth a piece of aged, yellow paper folded neatly into a square. Booth's heart raced, he grabbed a tissue being careful not touch the paper. **

**"Where'd you get this," he asked the man, eyes blazing with repressed anger and frustration. **

**The man peered at Booth through a squinted, glazed expression. "The man ins thuh ha-at," with those words the man passed out cold at Booth's feet. He jumped out of the SUV hurriedly bundling the man into the back seat. He might not be of much use now, but when he woke up he could be the only link to the kidnapper. **

**Jumping back behind the wheel, Booth drove as if hell itself was after him. He stopped long enough to drop the drunken man off in the FBI holding tank, before heading to the Jeffersonian. Barely remembering to take the keys out of the ignition he burst into the building, heading towards the small group examining boxes of evidence in the Durrsin case. **

**Without preamble he shoved the note towards Cam. "We got another one. I didn't want to open it until after you guys had a chance to check it for…stuff." Cam donned gloves, extracting the paper from the tissue. The team held their breaths as she unfolded it, reading the enclosed message aloud.**

**Weak is week,**

**strength is Pow-er.**

**Her possession of each,**

**PLeaDs for control.**

** Aries**

**Everyone glanced uneasily at each other. No one knew what it meant. No one wanted to admit that they were afraid to find out. No one forgot that it was 10 o'clock p.m. and with the dawn they would soon be out of time.**

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

**Brennan lay shivering underneath two blankets that did nothing to ward off the chill. Her mind was fuzzy, unfocused. It hurt to think. She could hear her teeth chattering, the sound echoed in her brain. Where was she? What had happened? And why was it so dark?**

**He saw her begin to shake as the drugs wore off, an unfortunate side-effect. Glancing at his watch he registered the time. The FBI agent would have received his latest clue. It amused him to think of them scrambling around trying to uncover the secret of Aries' message. They never would. It always took them too long, that was how he knew to kill them. There was a clock, a timer. He gave them clues. If they didn't figure the puzzle out in the time allotted he killed them, if they did figure it out….he laughed hysterically at the thought. They'd never figure it out, they never did.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: That you so much for all the reviews you've submitted! They make writing so much more enjoyable, and I love to know what you think! big hugs**_

**Disclaimer: Nope…still don't own them! ;)**

**Weak is week,**

**strength is Pow-er.**

**Her possession of each,**

**PLeaDs for control.**

** Aries**

**The newest clue lay before the team like a labyrinth. It had so many nuances that could be important, or could be nothing at all. **

**Booth, his head buried in the Durrsin evidence, felt his eyes sting with the strain of reading page after page. Zack sat plugging away variables in a computer, trying to figure out a context for the hyphenation of the word 'power'. Mirroring Zack's basic idea, Angela used a pen and paper to follow the flow of her thoughts. Hodgins, of course, was with Angela.**

"**Hang on guys I think I got something," Booth exclaimed. It wasn't much just a phrase written in Bones' handwriting about the body. "In her notes, Bones wrote that the body was exposed for a week under harsh elemental conditions. That could be the 'week' this guy's referring to, right?" **

**Hodgins glanced to Zack, then Angela, before slowly nodding. "Yeah. Yeah Booth, you may be on to something!" **

"**If it's true that it does reference the time the body was…well, a body-- before you guys identified her, maybe the first 'weak' refers to her physical ability after he killed her as a sick joke," Angela suggested.**

**Eyes wide Zack piped up, "So he's telling us that after he murdered her, she was 'weak' because she was obviously dead, and he dumped her body where it sat unnoticed for a 'week'."**

**Looking borderline happy with this news, Booth rolled his shoulders. "Which means that we're on the right path! This definitely is the same guy who murdered the Durrsin girl."**

"**Okay but why go after Dr. Brennan," Zack inquired innocently. Three sets of irritated eyes turned in his direction. "Okay," Zack continued, "Stupid question, moving on to the second line of the clue, maybe 'strength is power' refers to his ability to kill her giving him his power."**

**Angela bit her lip. "Okay I'll buy that, it seems to fit, but why is power spelled that way?"**

**Drumming his fingers against the desk, Zack suddenly turned, typing 'power' into a search engine. "It lists the spelling of the word 'power' as broken down by syllables 'pow-er', but in actual pronunciation it has it written as 'pou-er'."**

**Hodgins frowned, "That's odd, don't we have a federal prosecutor with the last name, Pouerston?"**

"**You're right, we do! Do you think this Aries has a connection to the prosecution's office?" Angela felt an idea tingle in the back of her mind. "Or…wait a minute… 'pleads' has a capital 'P-L' and a capital 'D'!"**

**Booth stared across the table at her. "You know what it is?"**

"**I think so. I used to date this guy who worked as a federal prosecutor." Hodgins stiffened at the mention of her ex-boyfriend, but Angela ignored his reaction. "In all of his notations about cases, he would use capital 'P-L-D' if he thought he should plead out the case! Maybe, Booth, just maybe, this guy did time, or at least was tried for something before!"**

**Hodgins leaned in. "That's great Angela! Now about this guy you used to date.."**

"**Later," Booth demanded. Hodgins looked suitably chastised, while Angela rolled her eyes. **

**Zack interrupted the by-play, "I'm guessing the reference to 'her possession of each, pleads for control' is related to his killing her. Perhaps her strength helps her to fight for survival, but the weakness, or weakened state of her body, wants her to give up. So each is fighting to control her will to live or let go."**

**The room fell silent. Booth grabbed his jacket. "We're not going to let it get to the point where she's in that position. I'm going to talk to Prosecutor Pouerston, see if he can give us any information." He headed for the exit passing Cam on the way. **

"**Hey, I just finished up on the autopsy I had to do, how is the note is coming," she asked. Booth turned to look her dead in the eye. "We finished. No thanks to you. I'd stay and chat, but I have a murderer to find, and a partner to save." He stomped off before she could respond.**

**Cam headed up joining the trio still around the table. "So what'd I miss?"**

**Angela and Hodgins mumbled something about needing to go re-process evidence, escaping as quickly as possible. Zack filled her in, but seemed reluctant to do so.**

"**What is with everybody around her," Cam demanded." Not knowing quite how to respond Zack shrugged. "Everyone's on edge with Dr. Brennan missing. I think they were surprised you didn't stay and help." **

**Cam crossed her arms defensively. "I know she's missing, but this lab still has to function. Bodies still have to be processed; the world doesn't stop just because she's missing. There's protocol to be followed, regulations!"**

**Zack headed for the door, but at the last second turned back. Adoration and respect for Dr. Brennan made it worth the risk of saying what he was about to say. "Excuse me,** **Dr. ****Saroyan**,** but this doesn't have anything to do with protocol. It has to do with Dr. Brennan missing, who could be dead in a few hours. She'd be right here ignoring everything else if it were one of us missing, because we all have a connection. You…don't seem to…care…" With that Zack fled, running to find Angela and Hodgins.**

**Cam watched Zack leave feeling ripples of anger beneath her skin. Even when she wasn't in the building, Dr. Brennan was still causing her problems.**

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o**

**Booth met Pouerston at an all night diner near the man's house. He had no way of knowing that as the time approached 11:40p.m., his partner was a mere 3 blocks away in a dilapidated apartment building set for demolition the following afternoon. **

**He couldn't see her struggle against the binds around her ankles. He couldn't feel how difficult it was for her to breathe behind her gag. He didn't understand the confusion or fear that clouded her mind. **

**He did however sense her. He could feel a tug, a pull, as if she was calling out to him, asking for help. It made him edgy, made him confront the unthinkable- what the hell would he do if he lost her?**


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments! I'm glad you are enjoying this story! many hugs**_

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, not mine.**

**Booth restlessly trailed his fingers through his hair. "Please Mr. Pouerston, just think. Did you deal in any cases that were exceptionally unusual in the past, say… two to three years?"**

**Pouerston sipped his coffee. "Agent Booth, I'm a federal prosecutor for the Internal Revenue Service. I prosecute people who try to evade paying their taxes," he supplied dryly. "How interesting do you really think my job gets?"**

"**I know, sir, I know. It's just that…" Booth stopped. Hs nerves were shot, his body running on pure caffeine. He'd been about to spill his guts to a man he barely knew, just to have someone to talk with. The urge annoyed him, made him angry for feeling weak. He decided to tell him anyway.**

"**The woman I told you about who's missing? She's my partner. Best partner I ever had, and some lunatic has her, which is a kind word to call him considering the situation. He left this clue with your name in it. I have nothing so far. Only a link to an old unsolved case, and to you. Please, if you can in any way think of something, it could make all the difference in the world. I'm running out of time." Booth leaned back against his seat, briefly closing his eyes. **

**Pouerston looked at the man across from him, wondering if the poor fool even realized that he was in love with his partner. He couldn't imagine ever being in the position of having to rescue someone you love; knowing that if you failed, their death would rest heavy on your shoulders for the rest of your life. **

"**Alright," Pouerston declared. Booths' eyes shot open. "Alright what?"**

**Pouerston pulled out his cell phone dialed a few numbers, issuing curt instructions for four people to meet him at his office in twenty minutes. "Give me the names that you have, addresses, and so forth. We'll pull an all night search of our computer records and files. If there's a connection, we'll find it for you Agent Booth."**

"**Thank you….thank you so much. Please call me the minute you think you find something." Booth handed the man his card, accepting his in return. The two shook hands, sealing the deal. **

**Booth jogged out to the SUV feeling as though something had finally gone his way. He stopped dead six feet away from the vehicle, eyes going wide, throat dry, his breathing echoing in his ears. Blood….so much…everywhere…The windshield, the doors, it was all coated in deep crimson that dripped onto the ground. **

**Military training had Booth's eyes meticulously analyzing his surroundings to see if he was being watched. Satisfied that whoever had done this was long gone, he pulled out his phone. Hodgins answered on the first ring.**

"**Hodgins."**

"**I need you to come to the following address and take a blood sample." Booth rattled off the diner's location.**

"**Blood sample?**

"**Yeah. My car it's covered in it…and we need to know who it belongs to. My next call is to the FBI crime investigation unit, but I want you to take a blood sample first. Don't tell anyone about where you're going or what's happened until after we know the results."**

**Hodgins didn't question Booth, understanding that the blood testing would be for Dr. Brennan, he merely picked up his keys nodding to Angela as he passed her. "Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can, I'm leaving now."**

"**Thanks." Booth shut his phone. Careful not to disturb anything around the vehicle he took in everything. There were no footprints, no can or container which the blood might have been carried in, or poured from. It smelled fresh, a recent kill.**

**Checking the parking lot, he wasn't surprised not to find any security cameras. How had he not noticed anything outside? He took in the location of the SUV relative to where he'd been sitting in the diner, realizing that by parking in a blind spot he'd given this madman easy access. He only hoped that the blood wasn't….**

**It was suddenly too hard for Booth to breathe. His lungs felt stretched to capacity, yet he still gasped for air. Sweat broke out on his brow, while his body shook with chills. He sagged against a cement girder. Oh God…..she couldn't be dead, he couldn't have lost her this soon, before….before… **

**Booth shook his head forcing himself not to go down that path. He would find her. Taking steadying breaths he pulled himself together. Bones needed him, he didn't have time to think about anything other than the case. When she was safe, then he could entertain whatever thoughts he wanted, but not until then. **

**Hodgins pulled up, jumping out of the car with horror in his eyes as he took in the stench of the bloody mess. "Booth, this is…"**

"**I know, look… just take a sample and get out of here, alright?" Hodgins nodded. Moving as if on autopilot, he took a sample from the edge of the farthest pool of blood that was spreading on the asphalt; he tried not to disturb any other evidence. **

**Just as he stood up, a folded piece of paper caught his attention. Hodgins frowned. "Booth?" Booth eyed Hodgins distractedly, "Yeah." **

"**Booth I think that's another note." Tucked behind the back windshield wiper it was so small it could easily have been missed. Grabbing forceps and gloves from Hodgins kit, Booth leaned in far enough to snatch the piece of paper. **

**The two men looked at each other, then at the note, as Booth slowly unfolded the pages. The words once again made no sense, but a meaning was there none the less.**

**ForeBoding Is key,**

**Telling Visions supreme.**

**Durrsin delivered.**

**Aries**

"**Damn! Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!" Booth slammed his fist against the hood of Hodgins car, making him wince, "Easy on the paint there Booth."**

"**What the hell does this guy want, huh? These, these….clues don't seem to be doing us a whole lot of good!" Booth paced, feeling rage well inside of him.**

"**Hey, Booth come on, the clues have gotten us this far. We'll find her, I know we will." Booth shot him a scornful look. "And just how do you know that the blood on this vehicle isn't hers? How do you know he hasn't already…." **

**He stopped at the stricken look on Hodgins face. "I'm sorry. Go take that blood back to the lab and get it tested. We gotta have faith that it's not hers. I'll be along as soon as the crime unit gets here with another vehicle for me." Uneasy, Hodgins wandered back to his car without a word, wondering if Angela had been right, was Booth really in love with Dr. Brennan?**

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-**

**Giggling with sick delight he watched the Agent lose his cool, his temper, for a second time. It made him giddy with happiness to know he could control people so easily, like pieces of a board game. He knew he should get back to his tied up guest, but hadn't been able to resist watching the drama unfold before him. He picked up the bandages beside him as he readied to leave his viewing location; she was going to need them.**


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: I can't give enough thank you's to all who have read and reviewed! Oh, by the way, don't worry; Dr. Brennan will be making an appearance in the next chapter!_**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine!**

**Hodgins breathed a sigh of relief. The blood didn't belong to Dr. Brennan, but it was female; which could only mean that there was a body out there waiting to be discovered. He headed out to find Booth, passing by Angela who barely glanced up at him. He fought the urge to try and explain why he couldn't share what he'd learned when he went to visit Booth. She was upset because he was keeping things from her, but he knew when he explained she'd calm down. He just needed to tell Booth first, after all the man was nearing the breaking point.**

**"Booth!" Hodgins jogged toward him. "Glad you're here. Listen the blood isn't Dr. Brennan's but it is female.**

**Booth rolled his shoulders relieving some of the tension. "Okay. So we have another body out there somewhere. I'll alert the local police to keep their eyes open." He punched a few numbers into his phone, taking care of that detail, while Hodgins assembled the team around the giant conference table. Before Booth could finish his call Hodgins filled them in on the blood evidence. **

**Booth sat at the table ready to dish the details of the past hour and a half when Angela stopped him. "We know. Hodgins just told us. Booth, are you alright?" **

**Rubbing his hand against his tired eyes, he replied, "Yeah. Fine, thanks. Okay so he left another clue. "He placed it on the table. **

**ForeBoding Is key,**

**Telling Visions supreme.**

**Durrsin delivered.**

**Aries**

**Zack hurriedly scribbled the words up on the board. Cam appeared, slipping into a chair across from Booth, but nobody paid her much attention, the note held them spellbound as they tried to figure out its secrets. **

**"Is it just me, or does this note seem…more random than the previous ones," Angela asked. She met Hodgins eyes, he nodded. "You're right. This one seems hurried, like he didn't have as much time or something. I'm sure it still contains information, just not as nicely crafted as the others."**

**Booth shrugged. "Maybe it was done in a hurry. I mean if he wrote it while I was inside the diner, he may not have known how much time he had before I'd leave." **

**"Did you ever consider how he knew you were going to be at the diner in the first place," Angela inquired, lifting her eyebrows. Booth leaned in towards the table resting his forearms against its surface. "My guess is he's following me. Watching."**

**"Hang on," Zack blurted out as he made a few basic notations on the board. "Booth, you think he's watching, I think he's telling us that he is definitely watching!"**

**"What?" Hodgins frowned, as did Booth and Angela. Cam remained unusually quiet and detached.**

**Zack continued, "Look, in the word 'ForeBodIng' the 'F', the 'B' and the 'I' are all capitalized. Booth you're the FBI. And, if you say the words 'telling visions' out loud, fast a couple times what does it sound like?"**

**Angela took the bait, following Zack's instruction. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Televisions! 'Telling visions' sounds like televisions!"**

**Booth sat up straight. "Are you telling me his message is saying that he's watching me like television?"**

**Zack nodded. "Well maybe not exactly, but he thinks of it as him watching a show, a performance. The FBI, umm…. you, is apparently a key part of this performance…I believe he refers to it as 'supreme'."**

**Booth stood, beginning to pace around the table. "Great, so I'm his personal amusement. Fantastic. What about that last line about Sunny Durrsin?"**

**Angela took a guess. "He uses the word delivered, 'Durrsin delivered.' Maybe a package?"**

**Hodgins shook his head in disagreement. "No I don't think so. I'm thinking he meant more in terms of her 'delivering' as in he was satisfied by her." Angela gave a slight shudder at that unpleasant thought.**

**A quiet voice interrupted their theorizing. "It means Sunny Durrsin had a baby." Four sets of eyes turned to stare at Cam in bewilderment.**

**"But… there were no indications she was pregnant when they did the autopsy," Zack reminded her. Cam gave a ghost of a smile. "I know. She gave birth to a baby, putting it up for adoption five months before she was raped and murdered." **

**Booth's voice cut through the shock in the room. "How do you know this?" She shrugged. "I did a little research of things that weren't in Ms. Durrsin's file. The important question is what does her being pregnant have to do with Dr. Brennan missing?"**

**Before anyone could respond a figure appeared in the doorway. "Agent Booth?"**

**"Mr. Pouerston! Did you find something?" The prosecutor sighed. "I'm sorry, but no, we came up empty. I was going to call you, but since I pass by here on my way home…" Booth tried to hide his disappointment, but failed. "It's alright. Thanks for your effort." Pouerston nodded as he turned on his heels, and left with an apologetic glance at the team.**

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-**

**He listened to them talk about the baby, the beautiful baby. So innocent, so pure. She hadn't deserved her fate. Angered he crept away, out of the building, into the darkness that engulfed him. He couldn't allow rage to blind him, not now, not when he was so close. Taking a steadying breath, he headed towards where he'd left her. The bandages he'd placed around her arm hadn't seemed to be doing much to staunch the blood flow when he'd left. He only hoped that she hadn't lost too much. Glancing at his watch he began to jog, it was going on 1a.m., dawn would soon be near.**


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: I'm so glad everyone seems to be enjoying this story as much as I am! As always I appreciate all your comments!! Thank you! _

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Brennan weakly lifted her head, glancing around the sparse room. She lay on the only piece of furniture, a small sofa. A lamp lit one corner, but the bulb was kept dim. She blinked trying to center her blurry visions. As she focused she caught her breath. The room may have been empty, but the walls were not.

Row after row of photographs clung to the walls, portraying the everyday moments of her life, but she was not the only subject of this man's fascination….there were equally as many pictures of Booth-- with Parker, out jogging, entering and leaving his apartment…

Confusion hit her fast and hard. If she was the target why would this madman have photos of Booth? Why stalk both of them, only to kidnap her? Brennan's head ached. She dropped it back against the sofa with a groan. Thinking was taking a toll on her strength.

She shifted, trying to get more comfortable with her hands bound behind her back. The minute she moved she felt a warm sticky liquid she hadn't realized was there. Her arm felt strange…. the skin loose where it should've been taught. With a start she realized her arm was slit open in a vertical line from elbow to shoulder along her left tricep muscle.

Fear closed like a fist around her throat. She'd thought her weakened state of her body was an effect of the drugs she'd been given, but it was blood loss. Drugs she could shake off, attempt to muddle through the lingering side effects, but losing blood wasn't something she could rally against.

Footsteps, faint at first but growing louder, headed in her direction. They paused, the door swinging open to reveal a man Brennan didn't recognize at all.

"Good you're awake," he said with a friendly smile. "Sorry about the arm, that sofa has some springs that pop through every once in a while. One got you in the arm good." He placed a bag on the table revealing bandages and peroxide. "Don't worry, we'll clean that cut up, make sure it's bandaged properly, you'll be good as new!"

He went about helping her into a seated position, leaning behind her to peel away the sleeve of her shirt from the injured arm. He dabbed peroxide against the cut, making soothing noises when it bubbled. He bandaged her gently, jostling her arm as little as possible.

Brennan licked her lips. "Why are you being so nice to me?" The man looked surprised. "Because I'm a nice person," he explained. Brennan shook her head. "But you kidnapped me, how does that make you a nice person?"

The man settled into the rocking chair, considering her question. "Well, I drugged you to put less stress on your body while you're with me. The cut on your arm was an accident, so naturally it was my responsibility to patch you back up. It was bleeding pretty badly, and I did for a small while wonder if you'd lost too much blood, but… You seem to be doing much better."

His calm, kind demeanor scared Brennan even more than a raging maniac would have. This man seemed normal, but that façade hid an ugly psychosis, a twisted mind.

Since talking was better than sitting in silence Brennan decided to figure out why he'd chosen her. "I noticed the photos on the wall. Why so many photos of people other than me?"

"Ahh, so you noticed the pictures of your partner and his son, did you? Well, when one does a case study, one must study all aspects of his targets life." He rocked slowly in the chair, back- and- forth, back- and- forth…

Brennan shifted her weight against the sofa. "But why me? Why am I your target? We've never even met before!"

The man looked at her with wide, surprised eyes. "My dear I thought you understood? You're not my target," he gestured to a close-up photo of Booth. "He is. The best way to get to him was either through you or his son, and I do so hate killing children."

Her blood chilled at his calm admission. "You're going to kill me?" The man nodded, regret fleetingly crossing his face. "Most likely. I am sorry dear, it's nothing personal towards you, but he took one of my own from me, now I must return the favor."

"But…but…I'm not…we're partners…nothing more," Brennan stammered. "Besides if he doesn't know who you are, how will he know it was you who sought revenge?" She could feel the drug once again kicking in, pulling her back into the oblivion of sleep.

The man leaned forward in his chair, smiling eerily at her. "You're naïve if you think the two of you are just partners, but we'll let that go for now. As for the other thing…he knows who I am. Trust me, your Agent Booth knows me because I've contacted him. He just hasn't figured out the complete meaning of the information I've given him, but when he does…" He stopped talking as he realized she'd drifted off to sleep.

With gentleness belying the monster inside him, he picked up a blanket, tucking it around her shoulders. He watched her sleep for a moment. She was beautiful, smart too. He wondered about his own daughter who he'd never gotten to see grow up. Would she have been as pretty, as smart?

Rage swam before his eyes and he moved back to his chair. He thought of his sweet little girl that had been killed; murdered in cold blood by that man, that agent…Seeley Booth. It was why he needed to be punished. So he too would know the pain of loosing someone so close, so precious…someone who you loved so deeply.

He hadn't wanted the woman who slept across from him at first. He'd been focused on the boy, Parker. He'd believed he was the ticket to destroying Seeley Booth. Weeks of watching had taught him differently. Coming to understand that Dr. Brennan held the key to Seeley Booth's heart had filled him with childlike excitement.

It wasn't obvious, but to a person patient enough to pay attention to the details, it was there. It hung in the way he looked at her when she was unaware of his presence, the way he touched her, protected her from harm. It was the reason he'd chosen her for his revenge.

He did feel bad about her being collateral damage, but some blood debts were too large to be ignored. As much as he liked her, he would destroy her, for the pleasure of watching Seeley booth suffer.

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Booth poured through the private adoption company's records. It appeared as though Sunny Durrsin had given her baby up for adoption, and then decided she wanted the baby back. She'd filed official custody papers in court, the adoption agency had been listed as a witness.

Booth stood and stretched. Angela glanced up from where she was working on an age enhancement program, attempting to get a sense of what the little baby girl would look like as she grew up. "Booth why don't you go grab some coffee. Come back to those papers with fresh eyes," she suggested.

"Maybe you're right. How're you doing," Booth asked, peering over Angela's shoulder at the screen. "Well it's not easy because babies don't have their facial bones fully set at that age, but with a picture of the mother input in here as well, it might give us a slightly better chance," Angela informed him.

Booth nodded. "Good. You want a coffee while I'm up?" Angela flashed a ghostly smile. "Sure. Thanks."

He wandered away to the vending machines. His mind was blank; he'd forced it to be. To remove all personal attachments, focusing only on your mission was one thing he learned in the army. He was good at it.

Dropping coins in the machine he remembered when Brennan had teased him for getting Hostess cupcakes because they were so awful for his health. They'd bickered, bantered; ultimately he'd convinced her to eat a cupcake with him. Pressing the C3 button for a regular coffee, he swore he'd never take those moments for granted again. He savored the memory of Bones' smile a minute, wishing she were next to him.

Picking up the coffee he headed back, once again clearing his mind of anything but the case. He had no idea that the answer he was looking for was waiting on Angela's computer.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Here's the next installment! Thank you all for your reviews and support! Much luv to all!!_

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it!

Booth headed back with Angela's coffee in hand. He rubbed the heel of his hand against eyes that stung from exhaustion. With a sigh he entered the room, eyes narrowing at the baby face Angela had constructed on the computer. "Is that what the girl would look like today," he demanded. Angela turned. "Well, yeah. It's not one-hundred percent accurate, like I explained before; we only have the mother's facial feature data to input, without the father's as well the chance for errors increases."

Placing Angela's coffee down on the desk next to her, he peered more closely at the image. It seemed…familiar, but he couldn't say why. The little girl had incredible green eyes, exactly like her mother. It was the eyes that drew him, that made him think harder, dig deeper into his memory. "Angela, I know that little girl."

"You do," she exclaimed. Angela looked at Booth with anxious eyes. His expression told her that the memories this little girl brought up were anything but pleasant.

Booth's shoulders sagged. "It was a car accident on I-95. The car was up on the guard rail of an overhead ramp, precariously resting between falling back onto the exit ramp's concrete or going forward and crashing onto the lanes below." He turned away from her his eyes clouding with memories, and continued. "The father managed to crawl out of the SUV, but every time he tried to get his daughter unfastened from her car seat, the vehicle would teeter dangerously."

Angela shuddered. She couldn't imagine ever having to be in a situation like that. Knowing the toll it was taking on him to remember, she offered him an out. "Booth, it's alright, you don't have to tell me the rest."

"No. It's okay. I wasn't supposed to working that night, but for some reason the local P.D. was overburdened, a football game I believe. Anyway when I finally arrived the father was begging me to save his little girl. I told him everything would be fine, that all we needed to do was wait for the right equipment to arrive, that the crane would be able to pull the SUV back. But it didn't happen that way… Everyone could hear the little girl crying, it broke your heart. The guys who arrived to man the crane took the utmost care, knowing that the slightest movement could make the vehicle tip… Oh god Angela it all happened so fast! Just as the chains were about to be connected the SUV shifted- - they hurried the fastenings into place but the vehicle's weight had been miscalculated, the crane they brought wasn't strong enough. The pulley snapped like a toothpick, the SUV plummeted and she died upon impact."

Even anticipating how the story would end hadn't prepared Angela for the haunted look on Booth's face. "It wasn't your fault, Booth…you couldn't have known that the crane couldn't handle the SUV's weight."

He let out a hoarse groan. "No Angela you don't understand. When I saw them roll up that crane I, for just a second, wondered why they hadn't brought the ultra heavy duty machinery. I ignored my gut because I assumed those guys knew what they were doing. That little girl died because of me, because I didn't question what went on…I was in charge I could've made them use the heavier equipment!"

Angela stood torn between wanting to comfort him, and pushing him to focus on Brennan. Concern for her friend won out. "Booth…think…I know you're upset, but please think…what on earth could this little girl have to do with guy who has Brennan?" At the mention of his partner's name, Booth compartmentalized his emotions focusing only on the task at hand- bringing his partner home.

"Hang on." Booth grabbed the folder he'd been reviewing before his coffee run. "There's lots of information in here, but nothing about the adoptive parents name. If that little girl was Sunny Durrsin's biological child, then the man I met that night had to be her adoptive father. I should have his name in my notes from that night! The only thing I do remember is that his last name started with a 'P'." Angela nodded. "Good. It's a start."

Booth stood. "Let me get to my office. All my case notes get scanned in and saved to my hard drive when the case is over. I should be able to get the name from there. In the mean time can you get the team together? If I get a name we may need to do some heavy duty searching to track him down." Angela was already headed to find Hodgins and Zack when Booth called out. "Angela?" She turned. "One more thing, can you find out where the hell Cam has been all this time?" With that Booth strode determinedly down the hall.

Angela rolled her eyes. Cam had been acting strangely ever since Brennan disappeared. Angela had sensed some jealousy towards Brennan since Booth seemed to favor her side in case matter, but never thought Cam would let it interfere with saving Brennan's life. Apparently, she'd been wrong.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

He stood in the dead of night staring at the grave. Madeline, his precious little girl. Placing a stuffed pink bunny against the headstone he wandered away. He usually stayed to visit, but not tonight. Tonight there were plans that still needed to be fulfilled. The man was utterly certain that he would have his revenge, and it would be so, so sweet.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Thanks again for all your reviews and comments! I really appreciate them! Lots of hugs_

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Booth jogged back towards the lab hoping Angela had been able to gather everyone together. He burst in the room; everyone was there, except Cam.

"I've got a name," Booth exclaimed. "Pouerston!"

"Wasn't that the name of the federal prosecutor you interviewed," Hodgins asked.

Booth nodded. "Yeah it was."

Angela frowned. "So you're saying that the federal prosecutor is the father of the little girl you told me about," she asked.

"No! He doesn't have any kids, but I'm beginning to think that we were looking at the clue the wrong way. We thought Prosecutor Pouerston had information that we needed, but instead I think it was his name that was the key!" Booth looked at Zack. "Can you pull up all the 'Pouerston's' listed in a certain radius?

Zack typed some data into the computer. "Okay, I have sixteen Pouerston's within a ten mile radius of where Dr. Brennan was kidnapped."

Booth jumped up. "Perfect. This guy wants me to know who he is. He wants me to remember him. Zack, eliminate all the Pouerston's who had or have male children."

Zack did as he asked. "Alright, that leaves us with nine people."

Angela looked up as Cam appeared in the doorway. She seemed disheveled, unkempt and disoriented. Immediately Angela knew something was wrong. "Cam! Cam what is it?"

The urgent note in Angela's voice drew the attention of the others. Booth came forward grasping Cam by the shoulders. "What happened? Are you alright?" Cam didn't reply she simply stared ahead with unseeing eyes.

"Umm…Agent Booth?" Zack nervously shifted his feet.

"What Zack," Booth demanded.

Zack pointed a finger. "There's a piece of paper sticking out of her jacket pocket. It looks…familiar." Booth's eyes widened. Hodgins appeared at his side with tweezers, carefully removing the paper. Slowly he unfolded it, but when it was finally laid flat there were no words written. The paper was blank. Hodgins looked up in confusion, meeting Booth's stunned expression.

"This doesn't make sense, why would he send us a blank message, "Angela wondered.

Cam coughed. With a gravelly voice she informed them, "Because you don't get anymore clues." Booth leaned forward wanting to ask another question, but Cam collapsed at his feet.

Hodgins leaped to call the paramedics. Booth picked Cam up, placing her on the table. Everyone was in shock. Booth thought that they'd finally been onto something with the name Pouerston, but Cam's arrival had cut that brainstorm short. He wanted to ask her what had happened, where she'd been, who she'd spoken to… he wanted answers.

Minutes later the paramedics arrived, rushing Cam off to the hospital. The room was eerily quiet after their departure. Hodgins shifted uncomfortably. No one had offered to ride with Cam to the hospital.

Finally Angela shattered the silence. "Pouerston, we were looking for Pouerston's. Zack I think you had narrowed it down to nine?"

Zack cleared his throat. "That's right. I found nine people with female children under that name."

Booth leaned over Zack's shoulder. "Is there a way to find out if any of them lost a child?"

A few clicks of the mouse later, Zack had the information Booth wanted. "Looks like there are three people who lost a daughter; one to leukemia, one to anaphylactic shock after a bee sting, and one to a car accident."

Booth stiffened at the mention of the accident. "Does it give a current address for the parents of the girl who died in the car crash?"

"Ummm…no. It looks like they moved from their home not too long after, but there's no future address listed." Zack punched a command into the keyboard, and then caught his breath. "Whoa."

"Whoa what?" Booth stared at the screen, but didn't understand what he was seeing.

Angela and Hodgins gathered around as Zack explained. "This is personal information about the family, social security numbers, drivers license number, etc. The computer is showing that the girl who died in the crash, her father died six months later. Weirdly enough also in a car accident, run off the road."

"Great. So unless he's a ghost he doesn't have Dr. Brennan," Booth exploded. Turning to pace the room he felt frustration well inside. Another dead end.

Zack continued reading, piping up when he came across more information. "Hey, it says here that they never found the driver responsible for Mr. Pouerston's death."

Angela slowly mulled an idea around in her head. "Booth?" He turned staring at her with hopeful eyes. "What've you got Angela?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, but earlier when were talking you were thinking that the little girls' father had taken Dr. Brennan, weren't you?"

Booth shrugged. "Yeah, after I found out that his name was Pouerston."

"What if you're not wrong," Angela posed. She watched Booth's eyes narrow, his body tense. "Booth, what if it isn't Pouerston that has Brennan, but the birthfather of the little girl who died in that crash? What if he's out for revenge on anyone he holds responsible for killing his daughter?"

Hodgins let out a low whistle. "That's some pretty twisted stuff. But how would this man, whoever he is, have known who his daughter was? I mean I thought it was a closed adoption, right?"

"Right. Although…what if Sunny Durrsin told him about the baby they'd had together later on, after the adoption was already finalized. He loses it, goes after Sunny, and kills her. Then he begins the search for his daughter. What if he didn't find out who she was until after the accident," Booth proposed.

Angela nodded. "It's a long shot, but it's possible that he's the person we're looking for."

Booth stretched. "Good, we have a new direction, but not much in terms of evidence. First thing I'm doing is going to the hospital to check on Cam and find out what the hell happened while she was gone."

Grabbing his keys out of his pocket Booth continued, "You guys search those files on the Durrsin case for any men she may have been involved with before she was murdered. If our theory is right, I may have interviewed this guy after Sunny Durrsin's body was found."

Angela and Hodgins watched Booth jog out of the building. "Angela, do you think this could be the answer, some old boyfriend of the victims' who's out for revenge?"

She took a sip of her now cold coffee. "It's possible. Some people can't let the past go. Let's see if we can find a name, the clocks ticking." Hodgins glanced at his watch. The dial now read 2:30a.m.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Booth stood just inside Cam's room, watching as her eyes fluttered open. "Booth," she whispered.

He moved further into the room, pulling up a chair beside her bed. "Yeah it's me. I need you tell me what happened Cam."

She licked her dry lips and shifted so she could lean towards him. "I went out to grab something to eat. I was feeling…annoyed, and I wanted to get away for a bit. I went to this all night diner, ordered some food, ate, paid my check and left. I climbed into my car, but when I tried to close the door it wouldn't budge. A man was standing there. He wore a mask, so I didn't see his face, but I remember his voice. He had an accent, like from down south, the Deep South, maybe Arkansas. He told me that there would be no more clues, and shoved that paper in my pocket. Then he hit me…hard…I remember feeling my head smack against the asphalt. When I came to, he was gone. I got in my car and drove to find you." She finished speaking on a whisper, as her eyes drifted closed.

Booth pushed back the chair. Standing up he left the room silently, not wanting to disturb her. He believed her description of the man, knew to give the rest of the team the heads-up to focus on anyone in Durrsin's past who was southern, but something about her story bothered him.

If Cam had been in the parking lot of an all night diner when the incident occurred, why hadn't anyone seen her being attacked, or seen her lying on the ground after she'd been hit? No, there was definitely something off about her story, but Booth couldn't figure out why she'd lie about where she was? Especially when Cam knew that time was running out to find Brennan.

Letting out a string of frustrated curses, Booth headed into the hospital's parking garage. He answered his phone as it started to ring, hoping it would be someone with good news.

"This is Agent Booth." Silence greeted him. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

A mechanical voice came on the line. "Hello Agent Booth."

"Who is this?"

"Someone who's waited a long time to speak with you."

"Where's Dr. Brennan? Is she alright?"

"She's fine…for now. I can take you to her if you'd like," the voice suggested.

"How," Booth demanded. Silence once again greeted him. "I said 'how' damn you!"

A sudden smack against his temple sent Booth sprawling, but didn't quite knock him unconscious. A man approached him, using a Tasar M-18 to eliminate Booth as a threat. As Booth lay there groaning, the man bent down, turning Booth's head so he could see his face clearly. "Hello Agent. Remember me?"

Recognition dawned in Booth's eyes as he looked at the person. "You? But…"

The person laughed as he filled a syringe injecting it into Booth's arm. "Yes me. Now I'm going to take you to see your precious Dr. Brennan. I want you to be there to watch when I kill her."

Booth tried to struggle, to speak, but the drugs were already working, turning his body and brain into mush. The last conscious thought he had was that if he couldn't save Bones, he might be able to trade his life for hers…


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! It's greatly appreciated! Here's the next chapter- I hope you all enjoy!_

Disclaimer: Still not mine!

Booth drifted on a sea of darkness. He sensed movement around him, but couldn't seem to force his eyes open. A touch, feather light, swept across his cheek, growing more demanding as it moved restlessly across his forehead.

"Can you hear me? Booth, wake up!" Brennan tapped her palms against his cheeks. A low groan emerged from his throat, followed by his left eye cracking open. "Bones?"

Relieved she helped hoist him into a sitting position, pushing a bottle of water against his lips. "Drink this, it'll help," she commanded. He did as she ordered, enjoying the cooling sensation as the water trickled down his throat.

They sat in silence as Booth regained his bearings. As the fog over his mind cleared he turned, grabbing Brennan into a giant hug. Too shocked to protest she landed against him with a muffled 'oomph'.

"Thank God you're alright. I thought- - I was afraid - - I'm just so glad I'm not too late," Booth told her. He kept one arm wrapped around her waist, the other cradled against the back of her neck, savoring the contact.

Brennan shifted trying to move back, but Booth didn't seem in any hurry to release her. She winced as his hand contacted the cut along her arm. Feeling her body jerk, Booth drew away. "What's wrong," he demanded.

Smiling for the first time in hours Brennan squeezed his hand. "Nothing. I just cut my arm on a broken spring in the sofa. It's bandaged, but it still hurts like hell."

Booth immediately took her arm, gently checking to make sure the bandage was clean and dry. "It looks okay. How'd you manage to bandage it by yourself?"

"I didn't. He bought bandages and antiseptic. He said it was his duty to take care of me since I'd gotten hurt unintentionally by the sofa spring." Brennan stared at Booth. "Do you know who this guy is?"

Letting out a dry half-laugh Booth rubbed his side where the taser had hit him. "Yeah, I got a good look at him right before he drugged me. I gotta tell ya Bones, we could be in a lot of trouble here."

Brennan offered Booth the water bottle. "Why? If you know who he is then so does the rest of the team, right? Angela and Hodgins will realize he has both of us, not to mention Cam with her cop instincts. They'll find us."

Booth toyed with the water bottle label. "It's not quite that simple. See Cam is in the hospital, she was apparently attacked, but I think she knew something about your disappearance. I went to see her and a few parts of her story seemed off to me. I couldn't prove anything so I let it go, that was when he got me- - in the hospital's parking garage. The son-of-a-bitch called me, and then caught me off guard which is how I wound up here with you."

"You think Cam might have something to do with my kidnapping?" Brennan looked at Booth incredulously. "Are you sure? I mean I know we didn't exactly hit it off when she first started, but things have gotten better."

"I'm not sure of anything at the moment; I'm just letting you know my suspicions. And about the guy who did this- - Angela, Hodgins and Zack might have a difficult time tracking him down since he's dead." Booth closed his eyes trying to alleviate the pounding at the base of his skull.

Brennan frowned. "You mean we're hostages of a ghost? Booth that's impossible. Paranormal activity is suspect at best. There's never even been a one-hundred percent proven case of a ghost 'appearing ' to a person let alone one capable of plotting a kidnapping. And besides- -"

"Bones, that's not what I meant," Booth interrupted with a smile. He'd missed hearing her logical explanations over the past several hours. "I meant that the guy who plans to kill you is presumed dead. His records say he was run off the road, died upon impact. Nobody's going to look at a dead man as a suspect. I sure as hell didn't! Besides the team is trying to track down a completely different man, so we're probably on our own."

Stretching her cramped muscles she stood pacing the small room. "So if he wasn't the guy in the car that ran off the road who was? And why did you say the 'guy who plans to kill me', how do you know he isn't going to kill you too?"

Booth got up coming to wrap his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on top of her head. "Because he wants me to watch. He wants me to see him commit the crime. It's personal Bones, he wants me to suffer."

Brennan forced her heart to steady. It was racing, and it wasn't because she was being held captive by a crazy man.

Booth had never held her quite like this before. Sure they'd exchanged hugs, he'd comforted her, but this felt different. It was different. She didn't want to think, she wanted to stay in his arms forever, but a deranged man with a vendetta took top priority. With a long sigh she slowly turned to face Booth, surprised when he didn't drop his arms, just held them loosely encircling her. "Booth, why is it personal? What does this have to do with you?"

He stepped away, leaving Brennan chilled. "Because he holds me responsible for his daughter's death."

Shocked she could only stare. "Booth how is that possible?"

Before he could respond footsteps approached. Booth and Brennan locked eyes, prepared to meet their captor face to face.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: I am so sorry that this update took such a long time! I had some family issues I needed to take care of, but they are since resolved, so the rest of the updates should be on a much more regular basis! Thanks for your patience! Giant hugs to everyone_

Disclaimer: None of it's mine!

Booth squared his shoulders as the knob turned. Brennan held her breath. They both stood anxiously as the man stepped across the threshold.

His face smiled. White teeth gleamed against a slightly tan complexion. The corners of his mouth turned up, smile lines creasing the corners of his eyes. He seemed normal, happy even, until the rooms occupants looked closer. Then they saw the eyes. Dark pools of brown without any gleam of life- empty, flat, with nothing left to live for. The man may have been flesh and blood, but his eyes seemed soulless.

"Good evening Agent Booth." The man checked his watch. "Or should I say good morning?"

Staring into the face of a madman, Booth knew his options were limited. The man before him was calm, controlled, organized, with revenge on his mind. All these things meant that throwing him off balance would prove challenging, if not impossible.

"Hello Jarrod. How does it feel to be back from the dead?" Booth inquired curtly.

The man chuckled eerily, the sound reverberating off the walls. "So nice of you to remember me, Agent Booth. I was afraid you'd have forgotten about me and Madeline."

Brennan stood silently watching the byplay between the two men. She didn't understand the reference to Madeline, or how they seemed to know each other. In the past she'd never hesitated to speak up, interject the conversation or interrogation with questions, but this situation seemed different. This felt like shaky ground which could crumble beneath their feet at the slightest misstep, so she remained quiet, allowing Booth to unravel the man's demons.

"I've never forgotten your daughter. Never. I remember her everyday," Booth informed Jarrod, pain evident in every word spoken. "You don't think I regret that night? That I don't go through that scenario again and again in my mind? Do you honestly believe that I absolved myself from all responsibility?"

Instinctively Brennan moved towards him, wrapping her fingers around his, wanting to soothe him in whatever way she could.

Jarrod laughed harshly. "How sweet. Look at how willingly she comes to your aid, not knowing the true nature of your spirit. How you let little girls die rather than do what your badge demands, protect them! Shall we tell her the story now?"

Incensed, Brennan's grip on Booth's hand tightened. Forgetting her resolution to keep quiet she spat, "He would never hurt a child, ever! You know nothing about him! Nothing!"

Booth turned, surprised at her immediate defense. He would've told her so, but the glint of pale light off an Anschutz bolt-action rifle that Jarrod removed from under his jacket froze him in place.

Booth knew the kind of firearm personally. It had a two pound trigger which could go off at the slightest motion; a sneeze could set it off if handled improperly. It was something only experts carried because of the risk of accidental discharge; seeing it made Booth's blood run cold.

"Let's not do anything foolish now, alright folks? I've put painstaking thought into the groundwork for this event, it wouldn't do to mess any of that up. So no sudden attempts at heroics?" Jarrod met Booth's gaze, locking their eyes. "As you probably remember I too was in the armed forces- Navy."

Booth gave a brief nod in understanding. The night of his daughter's death he had engaged Jarrod in conversation to distract the man while they waited for the equipment to arrive. He'd learned that Jarrod Pouerston was an ex-Navy Seal who'd retired to become a family man after the adoption of his daughter. The man was almost as good of an assassin and soldier as Booth himself, which meant he could kill either of his captives in a matter of seconds.

Glad that his point had been made Jarrod settled onto the sofa motioning for Brennan and Booth to do the same. "You might as well get comfortable. We have a small bit of time before we depart," he informed the two.

Unable to resist, Brennan finally gave into the urge to question the man. "Why aren't we tied up? Aren't you afraid that we could overpower you, escape?"

Jarrod smiled, than chuckled. "That won't happen. You see there are two of you, which means that if one of you rushes me the other is left exposed, or if you both rush me, both of you are vulnerable to injury. I happen to know for a fact that Agent Booth here would never risk your pretty-little-head for any such plan. As for how I could take either or both of you out? Why don't you ask your partner here?"

Jarrod and Brennan both turned expectant eyes towards Booth. He gave a rough sigh. "Because Bones, he's an ex-Navy seal, special ops trained. He could kill us both in the time it took us to reach him, besides which, if I'm not mistaken, he's got this building rigged to make sure that even if we did succeed in taking him out we wouldn't get out alive."

Brennan's eyes widened. She'd been uneasy since she'd been kidnapped, but now terror tinged with panic flooded her body. "Booth?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's fine Bones, just sit down for a minute." Booth helped her slide to the floor. "Take a few deep breaths. Angela and Hodgins will find us, and let's not forget Zack. We're gonna get through this."

Stilted applause from Jarrod caught both their attentions. "That was so touching; attempting to make her feel more secure while she awaits her death, such a noble gesture."

Anger shimmied down Booth's spine. "Stop tormenting her," he ground out between tight lips.

"Torment her? Agent Booth I was merely telling her the truth. I do intend on killing her within the next," he peeked at his watch, "half-hour. The 'team' you speak of is off chasing down Madeline's birth father. They have no idea where you two are, and even if they did suspect where you are the 'who' in this case hasn't even registered in their small minds. They believe I'm dead because the information tells them so; they don't have the imagination to even dream up a plot where the 'dead' father could be the mastermind behind all of this. You two are well and truly alone."

Brennan shifted closer to Booth, drawing comfort from the heat radiating off his body. She could tell by the way Booth's body stiffened that everything Jarrod had poured out into the open was true. They were alone, left to their own devices against a madman who believed Booth responsible for the death of Madeline.

Wrapping an arm around Brennan's shoulders Booth drew her closer, wishing he could shield her from the taunting of a lunatic. Booth didn't have a plan, he didn't have an out.

Standing, Jarrod quickly slipped out the door he'd entered without so much as a word to his captives. Brennan noticed he didn't turn the lock after his departure.

"Booth now's out chance! We can try and slip out before he gets back," she excitedly tried to stand up, but Booth's strong hands pulled her back down.

"No, we can't. You remember what I said about ex-Navy Seal? He's got this place rigged from top to bottom. He doesn't need to tie us up, or lock the door, because we make one false move and we're dead," Booth explained gently.

Brennan glanced around. "How can you be sure? I mean maybe he's just psyching us out, trying to make us think that--"

"Bones he's not lying," Booth interrupted. "Listen to me. I was in the army, I know the kind of capabilities this guy has. He's desperate with nothing to lose, that makes him more dangerous than most criminals and you know it."

"Then what are we supposed to do? Just sit here waiting for him to return?" Brennan leaned into the wall, now more irritated than scared. She didn't like not having the upper hand in any situation.

Booth cracked his knuckles. "There's something I need to tell you before it might be too late."

"You said we're going to get out of this and we will," Brennan corrected. "So whatever you have to say can wait."

Stifling a smile Booth continued, "It can't wait. It needs to be said regardless of whatever happens in the next hour. Just promise me you'll listen without interruption, okay?"

Brennan shrugged, hoping he was going to explain his connection to the man he called Jarrod, along with the girl Madeline. "I never interrupt, but sure go ahead, as long as we can figure a way out of this mess as soon as you're done!"

"Deal," Booth replied solemnly. He didn't have the heart to tell her that getting out of this situation wasn't like the other close calls they'd had, it was deadlier than anything they'd faced together; it was why he needed to speak to her now, before it was too late.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Zack stared at the file before him, blinking every so often, only to continue staring.

Irritated Hodgins tossed down his pen. "Could you help out a little more and daydream a little less! Damn Zack we're against a clock here, Booth's now missing too, and all you can do is stare at the same--"

"Hey!" Angela frowned at Hodgins. "We're all stressed, but taking it out on each other isn't going to help!"

Slumping his shoulder in fatigue Hodgins glanced at Zack. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Oblivious to the tension in the room Zack smiled. "I think I've got something!" He skimmed a few notes before continuing. "It says here that since the car was identified as being owned by Mr. Pouerston, along with charred skeletal remains matching his height, body type description, it was assumed it was Mr. Pouerston who died in the crash, but they never did a dental record analysis."

"What?" Hodgins frowned. "I thought dental recognitions were mandatory in cases where the body is severely maimed in Maryland and D.C."

Angela nodded. "Right, they are. So why wasn't one done on Mr. Pouerston?"

Zack gestured excitedly. "Because he didn't die anywhere around here, his accident occurred in Wise County, Virginia where they have no such laws governing body identification."

"Alright, but what does that have to do with what we're working on?" Angela asked, glancing at Hodgins to see if she missed something important, he simply shrugged.

"Let me finish," Zack told them. "The same night as Mr. Pouerston's accident a man from Wise County went missing. He fits the same general height, weight, body structure description as Mr. Pouerston."

Hodgins stared at Zack incredulously. "Wait, you mean you think that the man in Pouerston's car when it crashed may not have been Pouerston?"

"That he kidnapped some random guy to fake his own death?" Angela raised her eyebrows. "I don't know Zack, what reason would he have for that?"

Frustrated Zack scribbled some notes on the board. "Look, the man who disappeared that night was never found. No trace of him, no sightings, nothing. There hasn't been any activity on Pouerston's social security number, or the man who went missing since that night."

Angela played devil's advocate. "Maybe it's just an odd coincidence."

"Is it also a coincidence that, although there were no reported sightings on the man who disappeared, there were sightings of a stranger in town matching Pouerston's description after the crash occurred, for about the next forty-eight hours," Zack replied.

Hodgins nodded. "I think I'm beginning to see where you're going with this theory. Pouerston loses his daughter, and then loses his wife in a bitter divorce because they can't handle the loss of their daughter. He desperately wants revenge, but wants to fly under the radar in order to achieve it, so he fakes his death so that nobody will look for, or suspect him."

"You two are taking lots of thing for granted here," Angela reminded them. "Like the fact that we can't prove it wasn't Pouerston in that car crash."

"Come on Angela, think about it! It fits, especially with the information we received a little while ago about the little girl's birth father having lived in Australia for the past two years without a single trip back to the States," Hodgins reminded her.

Looking from Zack to Hodgins, Angela knew she was outnumbered. "Okay, let's get any and all information we can on Pouerston and go from there. I guess we also have to see about getting Pouerston's body exhumed so we can compare dental records."

Hodgins smiled, squeezing her arm in support. "Let's get to work."

Angela nodded; giving what she hoped was a confident smile. Before picking up the phone she offered up a silent plea that this long shot would pay off; that they wouldn't be too late in their efforts. A look at the wall clock revealed that it was 4a.m., sunrise was rapidly approaching.


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: See? I told you I was going to get back on track with updating! ;) Thanks again for all your reviews, and not forgetting about this story during its brief "hiatus"!_

Disclaimer: I don't own even a tiny piece of theses characters!

Angela hung up the phone on an extremely irate medical examiner in Wise County. Apparently being awoken by the FBI and Jeffersonian Institute to do an immediate body exhumation hadn't sat very well with the man. Angela couldn't blame him for his show of temper; it wasn't a phone call she'd want to receive in the midst of deep sleep either.

Her stomach felt nauseous from lack of decent food, too much coffee and nerves. It was so close to sunrise that she feared they wouldn't make the deadline. Taking a deep steadying breath, she once again reminded herself to think positively.

Hodgins looked up from his pile of papers giving her a slow smile of encouragement. "I'm thinking of going to the hospital and talking with Cam. Maybe she'll be able to fill me in on the information she gave Booth last night, which could help in the search."

Zack nodded. "That wouldn't be a bad idea except… what makes you think she'd talk to you? Shouldn't we send Angela? At least she's another woman."

"Gee Zack, thanks for volunteering me," Angela chided. She rolled her eyes, grabbing her purse off a nearby chair. "I could use a change of scenery so I'll go, but call me the minute you guys get any information about….well…anything!"

Watching her leave Hodgins and Zack shared a long look. They both knew that they were short on evidence, but neither wanted to admit it aloud.

Finally Hodgins spoke, "Any ideas on how to get something on this guy? Or better yet, any thoughts on how he might be connected to the Durrsin murder?"

"They got a fingerprint from the Durrsin crime scene, but it didn't match anything in the database, so no help there. Plus without a suspect to compare the print to it was a dead end," Zack replied.

Hodgins drummed his fingers against the table. "Hey Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"That fingerprint. Was it ever run through any specialized databases? Like ones the Secret Service or CIA uses?"

Zack fiddled with his pen. "I don't think now is the appropriate time for you to delve into a conspiracy theory, wait until after we find Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth."

"I'm not talking about a conspiracy theory…well...not exactly. I just know that agencies like the CIA, Secret Service and such have their own fingerprint database. It's all supposed to be streamlined into the Department of Homeland Security now, but…" Hodgins trailed off, gathering up all the Durrsin papers.

"You don't think Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan would've run the fingerprint through Homeland Security's database when the crime was committed?" Perplexed Zack watched Hodgins head towards the closest computer.

"Of course they did, they're thorough in their investigations. It's just that I have a…friend…who owes me a favor. I think now is the perfect opportunity to call it in!" Hodgins busied himself dialing numbers, weaving his way through various extensions looking for his 'friend'.

Zack shook his head in bewilderment. He sat down to triangulate the location between the Jeffersonian, the diner where Booth's car had been vandalized, and the hospital from where he was abducted. In order for this 'Aries' to have made it to all those places, Zack knew he had to be closer than anyone thought.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Angela stared at Cam in shock. She'd arrived at the hospital not long ago, immediately informing Cam of Booth's disappearance, wanting to know any information she'd given him. Cam's gaze had been evasive as she'd repeated to Angela what she'd told Booth.

She hadn't believed her, so Angela had pushed, pushed hard enough to make Cam dissolve into tears when she finally revealed the truth.

"I'm- - I'm sorry cou-- could you repeat that?" Angela stuttered, wondering if the lack of sleep was causing auditory hallucinations.

Cam sniffled back the rest of her tears. "I said I'm pregnant, four and a half weeks."

"And… I'm guessing the father is…," Angela let the statement hang in the air already knowing the answer.

Cam's mouth tightened. "The father is a man who's in love with another woman."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Brennan fidgeted with the edge of her sweater waiting for Booth to fill her in on the details of his relationship with Jarrod Pouerston, or at least that's what she thought she was waiting for.

"Damn I don't even know how to begin this conversation," Booth muttered. Brennan snuck a peek at him from under her lashes surprised at how flustered he appeared.

"Bones…you know that Cam and I were…seeing each other, right?"

She nodded not too sure she liked where the discussion was headed. Remembering her promise not to interrupt she didn't voice any objections.

"Okay, see I had to break things off with her because there was someone else I had feelings for, but… I never told the other person about these feelings." Booth glanced at Brennan. Seeing the puzzlement in her eyes he knew he was handling the entire situation badly.

_A mentally deranged man wants to kill me, and Booth wants to talk about his relationship with Cam? Great. Just lovely. This was not on my list of things to do before I die._ Brennan hoped her thoughts didn't show on her face. She tried to smile, but the effort fell flat.

Booth inwardly groaned. _I've romanced dozens of women, charmed them, seduced them, why now when it actually matters am I at a complete loss?_

The air filled with tension as Brennan waited for him to continue. When he finally did she breathed a sigh of relief that the conversation hadn't ended

"See Bones, it's not easy for me to talk about this new person because I'm not sure where I stand with her. She's different from most women I've dated. She's beautiful; although I'm not sure she believes it which is, in a way, part of her charm. She's unbelievably intelligent too."

Brennan cleared her throat. "I see."

Closing his eyes Booth gave a half smile. No, she didn't see at all, but he knew one certain way to make her understand…didn't they always say actions spoke louder than words?

In a lightening quick move that left Brennan speechless, Booth pulled her across his lap making her tumble helplessly against his chest. Her eyes filled with questions, but before she could ask a single one Booth's lips crashed down against hers.

Her breath caught as awareness shot through her body at the first contact of his lips. Taking full advantage Booth gently teased the inside of her bottom lip his tongue, making her head swim with overwhelming sensations.

A slight whimper escaped her when he deepened the kiss, sliding his hands up to the nape of her neck. Her fingers knotted in the shirt covering his chest pulling him closer. She'd fantasized about what it would be like to kiss him, to feel his arms contract around her, melding her body to his, but she'd never thought it would be this devastating, this potent.

Booth felt the world shift underneath of him. He'd waited so long, he'd known they'd be explosive together, but even he couldn't have predicted this; how she seemed to feed of his urgency, his desire, giving it back to him in equal measure. He hadn't meant for this one kiss to become so involved, but at the first taste of her lips he'd lost all composure. The days without her, the worry and wondering, the knowledge that she was still in danger, all his emotions were poured into one kiss.

He slid one hand down, tracing the delicate hollow of her collarbone, savoring the warm, smooth texture of her skin. He wanted more, needed more, but now wasn't the time or place. With a beleaguered effort he pulled back even as her hands slid into his hair coaxing him back. He groaned, giving in for just a minute, to take a final taste of her sweetness.

Catching her wrists in his hands he again pulled back. They were both short of breath, lips swollen, with eyes darkened by unfulfilled desire. "We need to stop before we get too involved right here, right now…and trust me this is not where I want you to remember our first time together," Booth told her quietly.

Brennan just nodded, still too dazed to answer. She could feel his heart racing beneath her palm. It surprised her that she'd been lifted so high so fast; passion had never overtaken her that way before. It was a new experience to want someone so desperately that the minute they touched you was explosive.

Booth linked their fingers, prepared to take a risk and declare his feelings. He couldn't imagine her kissing him back like that if she didn't return the sentiment. As he smiled, lifting their joined fingers to kiss her hand, a devastatingly loud shot shattered the precious moment.

Brennan gasped, Booth cursed, the room plunged into darkness. Silence settled jarringly over the room along with the odor of gunpowder… the stench of blood soon followed.


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Hello all! Thanks again for the reviews; they are more appreciated than you know! Here's the next part, hope you all enjoy! _

Disclaimer: I don't own nada!

Angela stared at Cam, lost for words. Cam shifted restlessly against the pillows. "Don't worry I was speechless too," she informed Angela.

"Sorry…I'm just surprised." Angela considered the situation a moment. "So I guess this is why you've been so elusive lately."

Cam nodded. "Yeah. I seem to be having a rough time of it, or at least that's what my doctor told me. I have all day sickness, not just morning, and…some other issues. All in all, it's categorized as a high-risk pregnancy." She watched Angela's expression. "I know what you're thinking, how did this happen? Well I asked myself the same question. We were careful but I guess, like they say, accidents happen."

"Have you thought about what you're going to tell him? Or when?" Angela inquired.

"Not yet. The doctor informed me that the first trimester was going to be especially tricky. I think I'll wait until it's over before I tell him anything, because if I…miscarry… I might not tell him anything at all." Cam stared off into space.

Angela gave a half-smile. "I know you'll do what you think is best. I've got to get back to the lab, but…just one last question, and please don't take this the wrong way, but are you sure the baby is Booth's?"

Cam grimaced, remembering an evening little over a month ago when Angela had spotted her out with a male 'friend' only two days after Booth had called their relationship quits. She looked at Angela knowing it was futile to lie. "No, I'm not. I'm not sure at all, but with timing and other things to consider, the likelihood is it's his."

Angela slipped out leaving Cam alone, hoping to heaven above that Hodgins and Zack had luck finding a lead, because all she'd found was a nasty web of complications waiting for Booth when he and Brennan were finally located. As the hospital doors slid open Angela glanced back at the clock against the wall. It was 4:43a.m.; the first light of dawn was little more than an hour away.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Booth blinked rapidly trying to adjust his eyes to the dark. Gunpowder fumes stung his throat as he choked to breathe. He hadn't even sensed the threat. He'd been so caught up in Brennan that he'd let his defenses down, just for a minute, giving Pouerston an opportunity which he taken full advantage of.

"Bones, you okay?" Booth reached out. "Bones? Hey, are you okay?" Nothing. Only the roughened sound of his own breathing disturbed the shadowy room. A cold lump of fear lodged in Booth's chest, he scrambled until he felt her face.

Fingers trailed across her neck until he found a pulse, it was sporadic, weak at best. Frantically he ran hands up and down her body searching for an impact sight, he found nothing. Had she fainted? The thought seemed unlikely but without proper light Booth couldn't know for sure.

He'd just reached the verge of reigning in his terrified thoughts when he encountered a warm, sticky liquid on the floor just above her shoulder. Probing the area for injury he found nothing. Moving his fingers upwards they tangled in her hair, getting stuck in the wet twisted strands. He thought it was because of the blood on his fingers, but this blood was warmer, fresher.

_No! Dear God, NO! Not in the head, please not a gunshot wound to the head! _Booth's mind filled with anger as he found the place where the bullet had scorched her scalp. As his eyes adjusted to the lack of light he saw the skin was split, leaving a gaping space which steadily leaked blood.

He knew most people were grateful when bullets only caused a serious graze wound, but with the complications he'd seen, Booth wasn't that naïve. He'd watched a man who appeared fine, after what he thought was just a nasty bump on the head, collapse dead the next day because of bleeding on the brain.

Brennan needed medical attention. From his army training Booth knew how to dress wounds, perform crude first aid on devastating injuries, but he was terrified it wasn't enough. Yanking off his shirt he used the t-shirt underneath to securely bind Brennan's head, making sure the pressure was enough to help staunch the blood flow, but not restrict all circulation. A sofa cushion under her feet helped elevate her legs, keeping the blood flow close to her vital organs.

After doing what little he could, Booth grabbed her hand pressing a kiss to her palm. He then scrounged around until he found a pen and crumpled receipt in the pocket of his pants. He thought for a moment, squinting to see the paper, and scribbled a message to Brennan. Carefully, he folded up the note placing it in her palm. With the gut-wrenching realization that this could be the last time he saw her, he closed her fingers around the message, leaning in to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered. Pulling back he stood, straightened his shoulders, and headed towards only door in the room. His last thought as he stepped across the threshold came fast and hard, making his eyes go cold. If Jarrod Pouerston wanted to try and destroy his world, he'd have to destroy Booth in the process.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Here's the next chapter! (giggle) I hope you all enjoy, and thank you so much for your continued reviews! _

Disclaimer: I own a husband, plus three adorable kittens, but nothing about these characters!

Angela returned to the lab numb. She couldn't believe Cam was pregnant. On auto-pilot she settled behind the conference table, randomly opening and closing files. She didn't even ask Hodgins or Zack about the research they'd done while she'd been gone.

Frowning Hodgins came over, resting a hand lightly on top of her shoulder. "Are you alright? What'd Cam tell you?"

With a jolt Angela snapped back into her surroundings. "Sorry I'm just a little out of it….Umm… Cam didn't tell me anything that could really help us," she mumbled.

"Are you sure," Zack asked. He tapped the pen in his hand against his palm. "Because people don't usually look bewildered and confused without a reason, and you look bewildered and confused."

Hodgins stifled a groan, trying to appear more tactful. "You just seem a little off, we just want to make sure you're okay."

Angela decided telling them part of the truth would be easier than lying. "Look, Cam told me something, but it has nothing to do with the case, it was something personal. It's not up to me to make it public knowledge, so… Let's just see what you guys found while I was out, okay?" She gave a small smile, hoping her explanation was enough to satisfy them.

It was. Zack immediately began explaining the conversation he'd had with the coroner. "He said that the dental comparison he did was not a match to Mr. Pouerston, but it was a match to Ed Hale, the guy who disappeared the same day as Pouerston's accident."

"So he faked his own death," Angela said. "Creepy." She turned towards Hodgins. "How about you? Find out anything interesting?"

Hodgins smile nearly split his face in two. "After I tell you this, you'll love me so much we'll escape to the Bahamas together!"

Angela rolled her eyes. "Let's see how good it is before I promise anything."

"Alright, this friend of mine in the Defense Department ran the fingerprint from the Durrsin murder through the armed forces database and recovered a match. Are you ready for this? To a Jarrod Pouerston who was in the Navy. He apparently took an early retirement after he and his wife adopted a baby girl. He was also a Seal, special-ops trained, so it's entirely possible that he was able to successfully survive after his faked death."

Angela's eyes lit up. "Great! So we at least have a name, now all we need is a place, or a general area, to search for where he might've taken Brennan and Booth."

Zack cleared his throat. "After you left I triangulated the location between the Jeffersonian, the diner where Booth's car was vandalized, and the hospital from where he was abducted."

Zack flipped over the dry-erase board to reveal a large, highlighted map. "I then plotted the distance between all the locations, including the time needed to travel between them with little to no traffic. Since we believe he's acting alone, the area where he's keeping Dr. Brennan must be near enough to get to and from easily, but not obviously inhabited. It leads to only one of two places." Zack pointed at two areas circled in electric blue ink.

Hodgins reached for the phone, quickly punching in some numbers. "Those two areas are both almost completely abandoned factories and warehouses. No foot traffic, no vehicles, they'd be perfect to hide someone near the city, but without anyone noticing."

Angela glanced at Hodgins. "Right, but who are you calling?"

"I know a guy who works in Precinct 21 which patrols both those areas. They usually don't have much activity, but maybe somebody reported something in the past couple of hours," he replied.

Angela and Zack fell silent as Hodgins gathered information from the person on the other end of the line.

"Hey, it's me, Hodgins. Have you had any news of anything suspicious going on in sectors 9 and 16 of your patrol area in the past 10 to 12 hours?"

Hodgins listened intently, suddenly becoming animated. "Really? Make sure paramedics are dispatched as well, two of our team were kidnapped, and we think they could be in that building! We'll meet you there!" Hodgins hung-up, grabbing his coat.

"Come on guys! He says they just got a report of a building fire in sector 16 about ten minutes ago. He's dispatching additional paramedics, as well as officers," Hodgins explained.

Angle reached for her purse, while Zack fumbled to get off his white lab coat. All three raced to the parking garage, dove into Angela's car, and burned rubber getting on to the street. They were so juiced up on adrenaline, that none noticed the small, folded paper tucked underneath Angela's windshield wiper.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Booth felt perspiration bead on his forehead as he edged his way down the corridor towards the stairs. He was careful to keep his back flat against the wall, testing each step before fully placing his weight against the buildings weakened floorboards. Every sound made his pulse jump, every shadow made him peer into the darkness.

His priorities were set. First, he needed to get medical attention for Brennan, and then he was going after Pouerston. Booth had contacts, connections, skills he hadn't relied on for years since he'd left the army, but he'd resurrect them all to take on the man who'd turned destroying his life into a hobby.

Finally reaching the stairs, he edged his way down, careful to make as little noise as possible. Pouerston probably thought he was still with Brennan, tending her gunshot wound. Booth didn't want to give away his element of surprise if he stumbled across the man downstairs.

As he neared the last few steps, Booth admitted that it bothered him that Pouerston had disappeared so suddenly. A man so hell bent on revenge usually wanted to watch his prey fight off the terror coursing through their veins, but Pouerston had vanished.

Shrugging off the thought, Booth stealthily glanced around the corner before taking the final pace off the bottom. He breathed a little easier realizing that he was alone. More confident, he headed towards a far window to stare at the street. There were no passing cars or pedestrians, just a lone, flickering floodlight. Silently cursing, he wished that there had been at least someone he could've flagged down for help, but Pouerston had them well and truly isolated.

Booth started to look for a door, when a particular odor teased his nostrils. He paused, taking a moment to breathe deeply. The scent grew stronger by the second, registering panic in Booth as he realized it was gasoline.

Heedless of the rickety floors, he bolted back towards the flight of stairs in time to see a stunning orange, gold and blue blaze encompass the hallway above. A twisted voice yelled down, "You thought you'd outsmart me, but I outrank you in the planning department Agent Booth! You're hero complex is going to send her to her death, while you barely escape with your life! You should've stayed in the room, but you left, just like I left my Madeline in the car!"

Booth opened his mouth to reply, reason, beg Pouerston not to kill Brennan, but smoke choked him off. He raced back to the window, shattering the glass, breathing deeply the crisp clean air.

The old, dry wood inside the building succumbed to the greedy flames rapidly, leaving Booth with few options. The staircase was the only way back up to Brennan, the smoke was too thick to find a way down from the floor he was on, plus the clock was ticking until the entire structure was engulfed in flames.

With a grimace at the height, Booth glanced down to a metal balcony with an attached fire escape three floors below. Busting out the rest of the glass with his booted foot, Booth shimmied through the opening until his legs dangled over the edge, and he was sitting on the outside of the window sill.

As smoke billowed out from behind him, Booth gave a final glimpse back inside where he knew Brennan lay. Offering up a silent prayer that he'd have enough time and cunning to save her….. Booth jumped.


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: Here's the next installment! Enjoy! Sorry about the delay but I got a promotion at work, which means it's just a little bit harder to find the time to crank out the chapters! ;)_

Disclaimer: Not mine!

Booth felt the crisp air slice against his cheeks as gravity pulled him towards the metal balcony below. His feet and knees hit the metal grating first, sending reverberations through the structure. It shook violently, creaking as bolts that hadn't been worked in years felt Booth's weight press against them. He remained perfectly still, waiting until the metal adjusted to him before daring to breathe.

Slowly he stood, wincing as he straightened, his bruised knees protesting. Reaching out for the fire escape ladder Booth pushed once, then again, until with a giant moan it released, giving him a way down.

The smoke billowed out of the window Booth had smashed. Flames illuminated the early morning sky. Without any further hesitation he swung himself onto the ladder climbing recklessly to the ground- - he needed to get Brennan out.

Sirens faintly pierced the air, but Booth knew they wouldn't make it before the entire building crumbled into ashes. Dashing around the corner his eyes scanned for another door, fire escape, anything to give him a path to her. He cursed as he came up empty.

Rounding the back he spotted two large, metal cargo doors above a loading dock. Booth grabbed at them, jumping back when his hands sizzled with heat. The fire had spread more quickly than he'd realized.

Eyes wide with horror Booth desperately bolted for the front of the building ready to shatter a ground level window. Only a last glimmer of sanity reminded him that if he crushed it, the flames would feed off the new air source growing stronger and wilder.

Breathing deep he told himself not to panic. The sirens volume told him that they were just around the corner. Rescue workers would need him to point out the floor where Brennan was in order to complete an effective and immediate rescue. He turned towards the main street leading to the warehouse, anxiously wanting to see the arrival of the first fire engine. Instead a cold, silvery, double edged knife slid seemingly effortlessly between his ribs.

Booth looked on in shock as crimson stained his shirt, dripping between fingers that clutched at the wound. He staggered back a step before dropping to his knees. Gasping for breath he looked up into the eyes of a madman.

"Now watch Agent Booth," Pouerston said lyrically. "She's in there dying, you're out here dying, but I timed it perfectly enough that you'll still get the pleasure of laying here knowing that flames are licking at her body before you pass. Genius isn't it?" With a twisted smile he backed away disappearing into the shadows.

Booth lay stunned, staring up helplessly at Brennan's floor. Blood ran in rivulets down his torso dripping to the ground, making steam rise from the cold asphalt.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Brennan stumbled down a long forgotten indoor emergency exit staircase, coughing violently as smoke invaded her lungs. Every movement made her head throb and spin, but she knew if she didn't keep moving she'd die.

It was the smoke that had teased her senses enough to bring her back around and conscious. She'd immediately felt a searing pain across her head and cried out for Booth, but he hadn't replied. In the minutes it had taken to clear her head, Brennan knew that Booth had gone after Pouerston. He was her protector, always had been from the day they'd met.

Now, as she tripped over a loose floor board, slamming her shoulder against the wall, she prayed he'd had enough sense to get out of the building, and stay out.

Brennan kept traveling down the endless maze of stairs, tripping, falling, and sometimes too dizzy to even get up right away. All she desperately wanted was to sleep so the throbbing in her head might dissipate, but survival instinct trumped her want, so she tumbled down a final flight of steps hitting the emergency exit door with a thud. Every muscle ached, every nerve cried as she fumbled with the metal bar that released her outside.

The cool air felt marvelous against her flushed skin. Her blurred vision, a combination of smoke irritated eyes and the head injury, made her stumble around the closest corner. Seeing nothing but hearing sirens, Brennan kept plodding forward.

As she came to the opposite side of the building from where she'd escaped she hesitated. A form lay on the asphalt, but she couldn't make out what it was. Too exhausted to be afraid it was Pouerston, she inched forward until she stood directly over the figure.

Dropping to her knees Brennan reached out, turning the chin towards her. She felt panic rise in her throat as two images of Booth's face swam in front of her eyes. She tried to speak, but smoke had overwhelmed her vocal cords.

Desperate she tried to shake him awake realizing belatedly that the effort did little, other than to make her nauseous. Precariously rising to her feet, she again headed towards the sound of the sirens, but stumbled over Booth's outstretched leg. As the pavement rose up to meet her, an fatigued Brennan could do little more than extend her arms in a half-hearted gesture of defense. Her head hit the ground with an eerie crack.

Booth opened his eyes with a grunt as something jerked at his leg. He stared in disbelief at Brennan sprawled across the asphalt. He slowly inched himself towards her ignoring the searing pain in his ribs. Soon he saw the makeshift bandage around her head that had become a brilliant cherry color. Seeing her so helpless and knowing Pouerston could still be near-by fueled Booth's adrenaline. Weakly he got to his knees, crawling towards the sirens and flashing lights. He wouldn't let her die; he wouldn't give Pouerston the satisfaction.

With barely enough strength to lift his head Booth rounded the corner of the building. Police swarmed around, firefighters battled the blaze, and a group of three squints watched in disbelief as Booth moved into view.

Immediately he was surrounded by paramedics. He tried to speak but everyone ignored him, until he grabbed a young EMT's arm in a death grip. Booth was about to tell them about Brennan when a terrible roar filled the air. Everyone watched in horror as the building collapsed, sending pieces of debris scattering to the ground in flaming chunks…


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: Well here it is the next installment! Enjoy, as always I love and appreciate all your feedback- you guys are the best!_

Disclaimer: I own nothing about these characters!

The moment the paralysis of the building collapse dissipated enough to let sanity sail back through her mind, Angela raced to Booth's side, shoving aside the paramedics. "Booth! Booth, what is it? Where's Brennan?"

Booth's eyes seemed frozen in wide horror. He'd left Brennan beside the building in an attempt to save her, and now she was dead. He knew it. Even from his half-closed eyes, with rescue workers intermittently blocking his line of sight, he saw the pile of debris. It covered the place where he'd last seen her; embers smoldered, flames fed off the sparsely visible wood planks left from the earlier frenzy of fire.

"No," he choked off in a strangled whisper. Booth felt Angela's palms on his cheeks. She needed an answer, but Booth didn't want to be the first to say it aloud, he couldn't. He'd failed with the one woman who mattered most.

Angela knew something wasn't right. Booth's eyes had gone dead, his skin clammy and pale, his breathing shallow. She let her hands drop away. "Booth?" His name hung in the air.

With a final burst of strength, Booth lifted a hand, pointing to the area he'd crawled away from. "There," he managed hoarsely. "She was unconscious right there." His hand dropped, his eyes closed, rolling back into his head as convulsions shook his body.

Now it was the paramedics turn to shove Angela away, grabbing oxygen, a stretcher and loading Booth up quickly. He needed a hospital; his body was dying inch by inch, betraying him in the most horrible way.

Rescue workers immediately began hosing down the rubble, pulling chunks free left and right. Search dogs were radioed for, men prepped for whatever they might find underneath- a dead body or a waiting victim.

Angela grabbed one hand of both Zack and Hodgins, holding on tight. They didn't need to speak; they all understood what was at stake in these precarious moments. Brennan meant something special to each one. Angela considered her the best-friend she'd always searched for, Hodgins knew from experience she was braver than most men in the face of adversity, Zack had found both a mentor and role-model that both inspired and accepted him.

Booth's body disappeared quickly into the ambulance, paramedics struggling to keep him alive. The trio holding hands didn't look as he was taken away, they knew they were holding on to their emotions by a thread, drawing strength from each other, one chink in that system could make them all fall apart. They couldn't watch as Booth was lifted and transported away, but their hearts were with him just the same.

The amount of debris the rescuers pulled away seemed endless. For every cement block removed, three more were waiting- - instead of shrinking, the pile appeared to remain the same. Frustration ran high in both workers and onlookers, but all knew patience was essential for recovering a victim. They all remained silent, issuing only the most necessary communication, waiting and watching.

Minutes stretched into half-an-hour, then forty-five minutes, finally reaching an hour with no sign of Brennan. She was there, they all knew it, but under which piece of wreckage they'd find her remained a mystery.

Angela gripped Zack and Hodgins hands so tightly that they'd long ago lost feeling in their fingers, but neither man complained. It wasn't in their nature to be by-standers, to not have some active part in a case, but now they were left to loose ends, unable to do anything more than stare, pray, and stare some more.

After what seemed like days of waiting, Zack heard a cry rise from the rescuers. Paramedics came racing forward, the first to reach Brennan bending down to locate a pulse. Everyone fell silent; seconds ticked by until a triumphant voice announced, "We have a pulse! It's weak, but there. We need a Medi-Vac unit here now!"

The tears Angela had held at bay flooded her eyes. She sobbed, sinking to the ground in a mixture of relief and exhaustion. Hodgins hugged her hard, feeling wetness sting his own eyes. Zack looked at both of them, but saw neither; he'd never been this personally close to death before, it scared him senseless.

Reporters swarmed behind the police tape as the Medi-Vac unit landed. Brennan was bundled onto the copter which took off, and was soon replaced with news choppers circling the debris like vultures.

Zack swallowed hard as a paramedic passed by. Reaching out he grabbed the man's arm. "Wh-ere," he stopped, trying to keep his voice from quavering. "Where are they taking her?"

The paramedic gave Zack a long look. "Johns Hopkins Hospital. She's in pretty bad shape, head trauma and all that." He nodded once to Angela and Hodgins, then moved away to treat a firefighters injury.

Hodgins stepped up tugging on Zack's arm. "Come on, let's go. We'll meet her at the hospital." He led Angela and Zack to a police SUV that was waiting to drive them wherever they needed to go.

Once inside Angela breathed a sigh of relief. "They found her," she whispered aloud. "She's safe and so is Booth." Hodgins and Zack both silently echoed her sentiments. None of them had a clue that in Johns Hopkins Hospital's operating room 004, a man they knew as both friend and agent, Seeley Booth, had just flat-lined during surgery.


	17. Chapter 17

_A/N: Thank you all so much for all your reviews! It makes writing so much more entertaining knowing how much you all enjoy the story!_

Disclaimer: not mine.

Five hours after their initial arrival at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Zack, Hodgins and Angela lay sprawled awkwardly across hospital chairs, trying to ease as many achingly tired muscles as they could in such uncomfortable surroundings.

They'd each received a five minute visit with Booth in the I.C.U., which had shaken them to the core when they'd learned he'd flat lined on the operating table. Hodgins had used his five minutes with Booth telling him he was a hero for saving Brennan, Zack had promised to use smaller words the next time they did research together, and Angela had told him that Brennan was alive. Each one hoped that Booth had heard through the glaze of pain medication, perhaps none more than Angela, who had seen the devastation in Booth's eyes when he'd thought his partner dead.

Zack stood and stretched. "I'm going to go get something to eat from the cafeteria. Do either of you want anything?" He glanced from Angela to Hodgins, but receiving no response, shrugged and headed towards the cafeteria.

As soon as Zack had disappeared Hodgins moved next to Angela. He nudged her arm. "Hey, you want to fill me in on what has you so down? Booth made it through surgery, Dr. Brennan amazingly only ended up with a skull fracture minus any hemorrhaging-- thank god. It's not a lot because they both have high risks of complications, but it's something. You usually are the first to keep up the hope, keep everyone's spirits up, but something seems off."

Angela gave Hodgins a steady look. "You're forgetting the bruises Brennan has, and the cuts that required stitches, the burns--"

"Whoa," Hodgins held up his hand. "The doctor told us those were all minor injuries. The burns didn't reach second degree; the bruises will heal, as will the cuts. Everyone's saying it's incredible that she didn't have more head trauma than the fracture. She could've had permanent brain damage; this should make you feel at least a little better. They're alive Angela, they're alive."

"I know." Angela sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just scared that something could go wrong at any second. Plus they haven't found Pouerston yet, which doesn't exactly help a girl to relax, ya know?"

Hodgins companionably squeezed her arm. "I know, but let's at least be glad for the little bits of good news we've gotten so far."

A small smile floated across Angela's face. "Alright, I'll try."

Before Hodgins could reply a nurse entered the waiting area holding several plastic bags. "Excuse me, are you two here for Dr. Brennan?" she asked.

"Yes! Why? What happened?" Angela jumped from her chair.

The nurse looked startled. "Well…nothing. It's just that Dr. Jamison asked that I give these to you. They're Dr. Brennan's clothing and personal effects that were on her when she was brought in. The Doctor mentioned that you might need them for evidence."

Hodgins reached out, taking the clothes from her grasp. "Thank you," he glanced at Angela. "We really appreciate the consideration."

"Yes, thank you," Angela echoed.

The nurse glanced at the two uneasily as she hurried back to her other duties. Hodgins chuckled, "Way to scare off the hospital personnel."

Angela groaned. "Sorry, I'm still on edge. It might take me a bit to unwind after all this excitement." She sank back into a chair. "What's in the bags? Anything that might prove useful?"

Hodgins turned each bag over, stopping only when he came to a small one containing a receipt with a message scribbled across it. Angela watched his expression change.

"What is it?"

Wordlessly Hodgins handed Angela the paper. She gingerly took it from his fingers. Reading aloud, she recited the words Booth had hastily written before going after Pouerston.

"This isn't the way I ever planned for any of this to happen.

If Pouerston finds a way to get to me I want you to promise

that you'll remember 2 things. 1st , I love you. 2nd , that

if I don't make it, I don't want you to cry for me. I want you

keep the memories of the good times we've had together - -

just keep the memory of my face Bones, and wipe the tears

away.

Yours always, Booth."

Angela finished the note with tears clogging her throat. Hodgins slipped an arm around her shoulders. "It'll all be okay," he whispered.

Angela simply sat staring into space, wondering how anything would ever be okay again. She couldn't explain it, but she didn't feel hopeful or happy, she felt only dread. She could feel the hospital pulsate with energy, energy that wanted to rip Booth and Brennan apart…


	18. Chapter 18

_A/N: As always, enjoy! Thank you all so much for your reviews!_

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Cam shifted restlessly in her hospital bed. Zack had stopped to check on her, informing her that both Booth and Brennan had survived Pouerston's arson and murder attempt at the warehouse. The building had still dissolved into embers, but Zack hadn't left any detail out about how Booth had crawled, with a knife protruding from his chest, so that he could get help for an unconscious Dr. Brennan.

Now, ten minutes after Zack had left, Cam lay twisting the blanket between her fingers. It was hormones she told herself as she battled down a wave of jealousy over Booth rescuing Brennan. The same stupid ones that caused her morning sickness were doing a number on her state of mind.

With a sigh Cam leaned back against the pillows, telling herself to relax. She was carrying Booth's child, or at least she was pretty sure it was his, and that, Cam decided with a small smile, was enough to banish her depressing thoughts…at least for the moment.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Seeley Booth groaned as he opened one eye. His chest felt like a herd of elephant's were doing the cha-cha. He wanted to speak to the doctor who stood at the foot of his bed reviewing a chart, but his dry throat wouldn't cooperate.

Glancing up Dr. Jamison caught Booth's eye. "Well, welcome back Agent Booth. Everyone was worried about you for a while, especially that Dr. Brennan. She's been asking to see you constantly, but because of her injuries we can't allow her to move around yet. How are you feeling?" The doctor held a cup of water to Booth's lips, helping him take a sip.

"Bren-nan?" Booth asked, his raw throat catching on the word.

Dr. Jamison looked on in sympathy. "I'm afraid the smoke is going to make your throat feel pretty raw for a few days, and talking may be rough." He glanced at the morphine drip, and shrugged. "Then again maybe not, but you should still to talk as little as possible. As for Dr. Brennan she's in fair condition, she has a skull fracture but no hemorrhaging, obviously cuts and bruises, plus some major smoke inhalation issues, but she's here and she's alive…"

Booth heard the word 'alive' and felt relief course through his body. His Bones was still here, he hadn't let her down. The Doctor continued to speak, but the droning of his voice combined with the morphine drip lulled Booth back under.

"…now the risk of infection could be a major set back to recovery, but I feel certain that….Agent Booth? Agent Booth?" Dr. Jamison sighed. He stepped away from the bed, called a nurse to adjust Booth's medications, and tried not to be insulted by the fact that his patient had just fallen asleep in the middle of his own recovery evaluation.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Brennan was awake, barely, but enough to have thoughts of Booth constantly running through her head. She desperately wanted to see him, touch him, reassure herself that he was okay, but by Doctor's orders she was confined to her hospital bed. She'd tried once to slip out of her room, but the minute she'd stood up pain, dizziness and nausea had repelled her right back into the bed.

She could still smell the smoke that surrounded her in the fire, still sense the dread she'd felt when she'd realized that the body next to the building had been Booth's. More than any of that she remembered his kiss, the way his lips had clung to hers before the gunshot had ripped into the room. She wanted to know what it meant, had he just been caught up in the moment, or was it more? With her mind spinning Brennan closed her eyes, falling prey to sleep.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Jared Pouerston ranted, raved and kicked the wall. He'd had him; he'd had Agent Booth in the ideal position to watch Dr. Brennan die. It had all been so perfectly planned. No one had even known he was around.

He'd managed to fake his own death, sort out the best sort of revenge, only to have it all ripped away. Now the entire F.B.I. was looking for him, the walls were closing in; his demise was only a matter of time.

Yanking out his wallet he pulled free the picture of his daughter, so young, beautiful, perfect… too perfect to have been murdered by the likes of Agent Booth. Pacing the room Pouerston stared at the photo, resolving once more to avenge her death. He hadn't wanted to resort to plan B, after all plan A had been much more exciting, but now time was of the essence. He would have his revenge, one way or another. Placing a soft kiss on the photos glossy surface, Pouerston slipped it away. Moving to his computer he sat down and googled the Jeffersonian Institute.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Angela felt eyes boring into her back. Glancing behind her she searched the few scattered people in the hospital waiting room, but no one stood out. Wishing Hodgins was still with her instead of off somewhere with Zack, she headed towards Brennan's room.

A quick movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked up in time to see a guy with moss green eyes, chocolate hair, and a medium build slip around the corner. She frowned, the guy seemed almost familiar, yet Angela knew she'd never met him before.

Slipping quietly inside Brennan's room, Angela smiled at her sleeping friend. She unpacked the pajamas and toothbrush she'd brought, careful to make as little noise as possible. Settling into a chair near the bed, she gasped in shock as the man she'd seen in the hall stood pressed against the door's glass window pane. Without thinking Angela reached for her cell phone to call for help.

The man pulled open the door, entering the room arrogantly. His gaze pierced Angela as he perused her slowly. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Irritation rapidly replaced Angela's fear. "Excuse me? Who exactly are you?"

His green eyes levelly met hers. "I'm Ethan. Ethan Thorne. And you would be?"

"Angela, her best friend, which is all you need to know. Now I think you should leave, you have no right to be here." She glared at the man, noticing through her anger that despite his rude demeanor he was very close to physical perfection.

He smiled derisively. "I have no right? I'd think that I have every right to be with my fiancée after a madman kidnapped and tried to kill her. Not to mention the fact that he's still on the loose."

Angela's mouth flopped open like a fish on land. "Your…fiancée?"

Ethan spared her a glance as his eyes devoured Brennan. "Yes… of sorts. It's a long story without a happy ending. And if you want to get technical I guess you could say ex-fiancée."

"Oh." It was the only word she seemed capable of as she remembered where she'd seen Ethan before. A photo Brennan had tucked in her coffee table drawer was of the two of them together. Angela had asked her about it, but Brennan had changed the subject, so she'd let the matter drop. Now she wished she'd pushed for more details.

Angela cleared her throat. "So what brings you here now?"

Ethan sighed. "I saw the news report and had to come. Had to make sure she was alright with my own eyes."

She knew her next question bordered on rude, but Angela asked anyway. "So now that you've seen her and you know she's okay, what's next?"

Ethan eyes flashed with regret. "I keep her safe; protect her from this obvious lunatic who's after her. More than anything though, I want her back."

Suddenly he turned toward Angela offering a completely disarming smile. "So best friend Angela, it's nice to meet you. Since we appear to have gotten off on the wrong foot, I'm Ethan; I work for the Department of Defense, I have two black labs and my favorite food is grilled NY Strip Steak. How about you?"

Staring at him Angela felt his pull, knew women probably felt it all the time. He was charismatic, charming, handsome… With a smile for Ethan and a silent groan, Angela remembered the note Booth had written Brennan, along with the bombshell Cam had dropped about being pregnant.

If there were words beyond problematic, complex and complicated Angela wished she knew what they were, because they'd probably describe the arrival of Ethan Throne to a T…


	19. Chapter 19

_A/N: So here's the next chapter, where we get a little dirt on Ethan, and a whole lot more questions that need to be answered! Enjoy and as always,s I thank you all for your reviews!_

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned it!

Brennan stirred restlessly in her bed causing Angela to make a grab for Ethan's arm. In a different time and place she might've liked the guy, but here and now he was trouble that nobody needed.

"Look she's waking up. I don't think it's a great idea for you to be the first person she sees, particularly because you said things ended badly between you two," Angela told him. She tugged him toward the door.

Ethan stared at her for a moment. He didn't want to leave, but knew Angela was right. Yielding to her prodding he moved toward the door. Without a sound he was gone, disappearing down the sterile corridor.

Angela breathed a sigh of relief as Brennan's eyes fluttered open. "Hey sweetie, how're you feeling? Not in too much pain?"

Brennan blinked twice bringing the room into focus. Her voice was raspy from the smoke. "Sore, extremely sore, but the pain medication must be working because all I feel is a dull ache, nothing too terrible. Did you bring my stuff?"

"Got your sleepwear here," Angela told her pointing to the chair. "And your toothbrush I put in the bathroom. Try to save your voice you don't want to strain it."

Waving off Angela's warning she continued to talk. "Thanks. So how's Booth, any changes or complications?" Brennan's eyes fused with Angela's pleading with her to tell the truth no matter what it might be.

"He's okay. Still weak, not to mention heavily drugged, but his Doctor told us when he woke up he asked for you, waited to hear that you were alive, then passed out again." Angela sent her friend a teasing smile. "Must be nice knowing you were the first thing on his mind."

Brennan cast her eyes downward, afraid Angela would see too much. She wasn't sure what had happened in the warehouse was real; maybe it was just the influence of adrenaline. The last thing she wanted was to risk making a fool of herself with a guy she had to work with when this entire ordeal was over.

Angela noticed Brennan's hesitation. She didn't begrudge her friend's reticence to talk about her and Booth. She knew Brennan must be confused, curious about what Booth had said, if he'd said anything at all… maybe he'd just written the note, which Brennan knew nothing about. Angela decided to test the waters.

"So what happened between you guys up there?"

"Uh…what?"

Angela chuckled. If Brennan couldn't come up with a better answer than that, something definitely had happened in that warehouse. "You and Booth, did anything happen between you two?"

"Like what?" Brennan felt warmth spread across her neck. She had to be getting a fever; it couldn't have anything to do with her reaction to Booth's name.

"Hmmm… I don't know. Like maybe he said something or did something while you two were alone, because he most certainly _wrote_ something." Angela slipped the small plastic bag containing Booth's message out of her purse.

"Angela, that's evidence! You can't be carrying that around," Brennan scolded.

Angela sighed, rolling her eyes. "I know, I know and I promise to drop it off as soon as you read it, so here." She thrust the paper towards Brennan, who immediately felt her head spin.

"Hey Ang, I can't exactly read right now. Skull fracture and all that," she informed Angela dryly.

Angela pulled the paper away. "Oops, sorry 'bout that. I'll just read it aloud…

This isn't the way I ever planned for any of this to happen.

If Pouerston finds a way to get to me I want you to promise

that you'll remember 2 things. 1st , I love you. 2nd , that

if I don't make it, I don't want you to cry for me. I want you

keep the memories of the good times we've had together - -

just keep the memory of my face Bones, and wipe the tears

away.

Yours always, Booth."

Finishing, Angela shot her friend a significant look. "Still sticking with the story that nothing happened?"

Brennan blinked away moisture that had gathered in her eyes. "He… he kissed me."

Angela's squeal made Brennan wince. "Oh, sorry Bren, I'm just so happy for you! The kiss, plus the note…" She gave a wistful sigh.

Brennan couldn't help but be amused. "Glad this could make you so happy," she teased.

"Oh come on, now spill, what do you think about our very own Agent Booth?"

"He's good at what he does, he's determined; he's got great instincts…."

"He's hot," Angela interjected.

"What?"

"Sorry, just helping you add to the list. Continue."

Brennan cleared her throat. "He's really good with his son, always tries to do the right thing, and…he is physically appealing with good bone structure."

"Oh just say it sweetie, he's hot. We all know it, there's no reason to hide it under some long-winded explanation of bone structure," Angela chided.

"Okay fine. He's hot. Are you happy now?" Brennan asked. She yawned growing weary from their conversation.

"Very happy. I guess I only have two questions left for you."

"What are they," Brennan murdered drowsily.

"Could you be falling in love with Booth?" Angela asked.

Brennan's mouth opened before her brain considered the wisdom of her answer. "Yes."

Angela smiled. "Good that should make the next question easier to handle. What would you say if I told you there's an Ethan Thorne in the waiting room for you who claims to be your ex-fiancé?"

Sitting upright so fast that white spots occurred in front of her eyes, Brennan stared at Angela. "Ethan Thorne? Did you say Ethan Thorne was here?"

Angela slowly nodded. "Yeah. He says he works for the Defense Department, heard about you on the news and had to come see you."

Brennan's face seemed ghost like in its paleness. "Angela keep him away from Booth. Promise me!"

"Alright, but sweetie don't you mean keep him away from you," she gently corrected.

"No! You need to keep him away from Booth. He's not exactly straight up Defense Department Angela, he's C.I.A. He's my ex-fiancé because I got close to a guy on campus as an undergrad who he didn't like. I told him it was nothing, but Ethan didn't seem to believe me. Two weeks before our wedding my friend, Viktor, was found dead, shot through the head execution style. Ethan swore he didn't know anything about it, but there were no witnesses, evidence- nothing. Even the police said it had to be a professional job."

Brennan voice grew fainter, but the urgency of her words increased. "Angela, Ethan was never able to give me a straight answer about Viktor's death, he always avoided the topic. If he didn't kill Viktor personally, he sure as hell got someone to handle it for him. So don't let him near Booth, Ethan's not above eliminating anyone he sees as a threat to get what he wants!" Brennan's throat burned, her lungs protested every breath she took. Weakly, she collapsed back against the pillows.

Angela grabbed her hand. "Okay, I promise. I'll keep Ethan away from Booth. I won't even let him know who Booth is- don't worry I'll find a way to make Ethan go away."

Brennan nodded. Her eyes felt weighted as they drifted shut. Angela cursed herself for bringing up Ethan's name.

Checking to make sure Brennan was really asleep, Angela slipped out into the waiting room. She glanced around, but saw no sign of Ethan. An older woman sat knitting in a corner. Angela rapidly approached.

"Excuse me," Angela began. The woman looked up from her knitting. "I was looking for a friend of mine. He's got dark brown hair, really green eyes; he should've been out here waiting for me, but…"

The other woman smiled kindly. "Yes I remember him, quite a looker. I believe he was talking to some nurse about someone by the name of 'Booth'. Sorry I can't be of any more assistance."

Angela thanked the woman, quickly taking off for Booth's room. She hadn't thought that Ethan could've found out about Booth as quickly as he had. She only hoped that he wasn't in danger.

Reaching the door to Booth's room she was winded, but swung it open in time to see Ethan lean down close to Booth. "Don't you dare hurt him! I know all about you, I'm calling security!"

Ethan stepped away from the bed looking confused. "What? Why would I hurt him? I just wanted to see how he's doing."

"Of course you did." Angela glanced to see if a nurse was within hearing distance.

Ethan grunted in frustration. "What is wrong with you? Booth and I were in the army together, Rangers, we both served as snipers, I was on the same team as he was for crap sake. Why the hell would I kill him?"

Angela stumbled over her words. "Brennan said…that you were…well…she mentioned a guy… her friend who was murderd…"

"She told you about Viktor Tarasov, didn't she? Let me guess- she still thinks that I had something to do with his death." Ethan let out a hollow laugh.

"If you didn't then why not just tell her that?" Angela asked.

Ethan glared at her. "I did. She doesn't believe me. Besides the details are classified information. I might know a few bits and pieces of what went down, but it's not going to be anything she wants to hear about a man she considered a friend. Now let's drop this conversation, because I don't want to speak about it with anyone- especially you." Turning on his heel he stalked out of the room, leaving a flabbergast Angela in his wake.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Brennan sensed a presence in her room. She opened her eyes to feel a scream catch in her throat. The man looming over her wore scrubs and a surgical mask, but Brennan saw his eyes. They looked so familiar- - if only the fog over her brain would lift she'd be able to recognize him.

The man grasped her Fentanyl IV line, pulling a syringe out from under his uniform. Brennan looked on, too weak to protest, as he injected a yellow tinted fluid into the line, watched it travel into her arm, and felt her entire body begin to freefall.

As the monitors went crazy, the man fled, seconds before doctors and nurses swarmed her room…

_A/N: Okay so I want to know: who do all my wonderful readers think messed with Brennan's IV? _

_Thanks for reading!_


	20. Chapter 20

_A/N: So I loved everyone's theories about who sabotaged Brennan, but then again, as you guys know, I love all your reviews! ;) Thanks again and enjoy the next chapter!_

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Dr. Jamison cursed loudly. "Son of a bitch! Get more Valium- 10 milligrams!" He reached for the restraints a nurse had brought him; desperately needing to secure Brennan's flailing limbs.

Warily the nurse glanced at him. "Doctor are you sure? We've already given her 30 milligrams, and--"

"I know what we've given her, and she's still seizing- it's having no effect so ten more please!" Dr. Jamison watched the monitors. Her heart rate was erratic, blood pressure insane, and even without a link to brainwave activity he knew hers was going crazy.

The additional ten milligrams didn't seem to make a dent. Risking everything he ordered an additional ten, thankful when her body finally began to relax. "Get me blood and urine samples, we need to know what the hell happened to make her seize like that. Tell the lab I want the results yesterday!"

Several nurses jumped into action. Dr. Jamison checked to make sure the restraints would hold should she seize again, and stared at his patient. His face seemed drawn; he looked dejected despite having just saved a life.

"Dr. Jamison?" a young nurse asked.

"Yes," he replied absent-mindedly.

"There's a small leak, almost unnoticeable in her IV line, should I replace it with a new one?" The nurse looked at him expectantly.

Alarm bells sounded in his head, moving closer Dr. Jamison noticed that sure enough a tiny little drip of Fentanyl leaked from Brennan's IV. "Damn, get that IV out of her now! It's been contaminated somehow!"

The nurse's eyes widened. Not having time to explain Dr. Jamison quickly unattached the line himself, instructing her to open up a new one. She hurried to do as she was told. Holding the IV Dr. Jamison headed outside to the reception area, barking at the nurses to get him the police. As they all scurried to do his bidding, gossip spread like wildfire about what had really happened. By the time the door to his office slammed shut, Dr. Jamison's patient almost getting murdered was the topic of the hour.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Angela heard the whispers as she headed to meet Zack and Hodgins in the gift shop. They'd all decided that both Brennan and Booth could use some balloons and flowers to brighten up their rooms. Approaching the male duo, her welcoming smile faded at the grim look on Hodgins' face. Instantly she knew something was wrong, very wrong.

"Angela…" Hodgins began when she was within speaking distance.

She glanced from Zack to Hodgins. "Oh god now what? What's happened?"

When Hodgins appeared reluctant to continue, Zack piped up. "We haven't heard directly from Dr. Jamison yet, but the entire hospital seems to be talking about some kind of sabotage on Dr. Brennan."

"What?!"

Hodgins nodded. "Yeah. Apparently it seems that someone tampered with her IV line, she started seizing. She's steady now, but Dr. Jamison still ordered blood and urine tests to figure out what she'd been dosed with."

"Are you sure she's okay? We should go back up…" Angela trailed off when Hodgins placed a hand against her back.

"Hey, Dr. Jamison already called the police, who in turn called the F.B.I and now both Booth and Dr. Brennan have security outside their rooms. They're safe." Hodgins eyes locked with Angela's begging her to trust him, she acquiesced.

Zack cleared his throat, interrupting the moment, and lowered his voice. "It has to be Pouerston, he wanted Dr. Brennan to suffer. He must've found a way into the hospital, disguised himself, gained entry into Dr. Brennan's room…"

Hodgins eagerly agreed. "He's our only suspect. It's not like there's a line of people waiting around here to do Dr. Brennan in, right?"

Angela groaned. She gestured toward a cluster of chairs. "We should sit because you guys need to know about something that happened earlier, involving a _someone_ who came to see Brennan."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ethan Thorne hovered outside the door of Dr. Jamison's office, close enough so he could hear any conversation, but not be too conspicuous. He didn't wait long until a lab tech hurried into his office, tossing Brennan's test results on this desk. The file landed with a fluttering 'thwack' against the mahogany desk.

"Dr. Jamison, we found traces of liquid heroine. Do you know how powerful that stuff is, not to mention rare? We're not talking the stuff that you melt down yourself; we're talking straight up liquid heroin. The funny thing is that it's not exactly common, it's expensive, and whoever used it had to have know it can be fatal when mixed with Fentanyl," the tech informed him.

Wearily Dr. Jamison picked up the file. "Great so we know that whoever did this knows the basics about pharmaceuticals. I called up and told the on-duty nurse to put Dr. Brennan on a ventilator for now; the Valium stopped the seizures but suppressed her system until she was barely breathing. She'll improve with time, but it's important to monitor all her medications hourly to make sure nothing else gets slipped to her."

The tech frowned. "But sir, there's security outside her door, surely no one could get in now…"

"Let's just be safe, shall we? Take this file to a man by the name of Agent Gilb, I told him I'd give him a copy of our lab results as soon as I received them," Dr. Jamison ordered.

"Yes sir." The tech hurried away, the file tucked carefully under one arm.

Ethan edged closer, until he could watch Dr. Jamison. The man picked up a framed photo of three children, two girls and a boy, on his desk. Lovingly he traced a finger across each face. His features twisted into a horrible frown as he replaced the photo, glanced around his office and buried his head in his hands.

From outside, Ethan could hear him muttering, 'what have I done' over and over again…


	21. Chapter 21

_A/N: And now the story continues… ;)_

Disclaimer: Not mine.

By the time Angela finished filling the guys in on Ethan, his connection to Brennan and Booth, plus the confrontation Angela had with him in Booth's room, both had eyes wider than flying saucers.

"Wow," Hodgins managed. "Talk about a conspiracy theory. Brennan thinks Ethan had Viktor taken out because he was jealous. Ethan denies being involved. I wonder who's telling the truth, or if that lies somewhere in the middle?"

Zack nodded. "There's probably truth to both versions, each person believing theirs is the ultimate truth because their view of the situation is clouded by preconceived notions."

Angela held up her hands. "Alright, enough. Let's veer away from philosophy for a moment, back to the issue at hand. Do you two think Ethan might've tried to kill Brennan?"

Hodgins shrugged. "Can't say for sure, but from what you've told us if he were going to take someone out it'd be Booth, not Brennan." He glanced to Zack, waiting for him to agree or contradict his opinion.

"Hodgins is right." Zack glanced nervously around the lobby. "But if it wasn't Ethan, does that mean Pouerston got into the hospital?"

Following Zack's example, Angela and Hodgins couldn't help the way their eyes suspiciously sized up the gift shop patrons, visitors and staff members; everyone suddenly was a suspect.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Booth opened his eyes slowly. Even with senses dulled by prescription drugs he immediately sensed the presence of the two F.B.I agents who hovered just inside his room. If they were with him, he knew it meant trouble.

"Wha-t happ-pp-end?" Booth croaked out.

The older of the two agents immediately glanced at his partner. "You're awake sir, that's good." He hesitated, then continued. "There was an attempt made on your partner's life. She survived, but is in critical condition with the possibility of severe complications. We believe that whoever the culprit is could still be on the premises. Both you and Dr. Brennan have been assigned round the clock protection until the threat is neutralized."

Booth took a breath. "How d-id he h-hur-t her?"

"Sir I'm not sure that-"

"Ho-w?" Booth demanded, trying his best to look imposing while attached to monitors in a hospital bed.

The agent relented. "Someone injected liquid heroin into her IV line, causing a near fatal reaction with the Fentanyl."

Booth closed his eyes relaxing back against the pillows. He'd thought he'd protected her, kept her safe. He hadn't. He'd merely rescued her from one situation to put her in another. This time he couldn't protect her, physically his body was battered. He had to put his faith in others to keep her safe, he hated it. Wishing there was someone he could count on and trust to handle the situation, Booth drifted off into sleep.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Ethan surreptitiously watched Dr. Jamison before taking a step forward. He wanted to confront the man, find out what he knew, but before he could reach him an orderly came along heading straight for the Doctor's office. Ethan stepped back, thankful when the man passed without even registering Ethan's proximity.

The door was pushed open. Dr. Jamison straightened. "What are you doing here?" he asked nervously.

The other man shrugged. "Just checking in. You're not having second thoughts are you?"

Dr. Jamison paused before answering. "I'm a doctor; I took the Hippocratic Oath, I…"

"Blah, blah, blah….funny how all that went out the window when I threatened to reveal to the hospital board your extracurricular activities isn't it?"

"Please, I did what you asked," Dr. Jamison begged. His face was white. Ethan could see the man's hands shaking.

"I said I wanted her dead. You rushed in and managed to save her. That didn't exactly follow the terms of our agreement."

"She's suffered immense brain damage, she'll be lucky to recover all her functions after she wakes up!"

The other man considered this a moment. "Hmmm…not bad. With brain damage Agent Booth will get to watch her suffer everyday, knowing she's not even half the woman she was before. I think the outcome of this arrangement may have turned out better than I anticipated."

"What?" Dr. Jamison asked in confusion.

The man waved him off. "Nothing to concern yourself with, you followed through on your end of the bargain, now I'll give you these." He pulled a small notebook out of his pocket. "Consider your gambling debts paid off, and the knowledge that you falsified new equipment forms for the hospital to steal money in an attempt to pay off those debts wiped clean from my memory."

Dr. Jamison sighed in relief. "Thank you Mr…." He frowned. "I never did get your name."

The other man smiled sickly. "It's Pouerston, Jarrod Pouerston."

Nodding, Dr. Jamison spoke. "I'm glad this is over, I-"

A metallic click sounded in the room, Dr. Jamison's eyes widened in fear. Pouerston removed his Anschutz firearm- aimed, chuckled, fired twice, then disappeared through the side door of Dr. Jamison's office.

Ethan stood frozen for about two beats, before taking off after him. He didn't bother to check the Doctor's pulse; two bullets through the head didn't leave any hope for survival. Hitting the emergency stairs, he vowed to see Pouerston's ass nailed to the wall for what he'd done to Brennan.

Barreling out the bottom through a door marked 'emergency only' Ethan found himself amid a mix of people in the hospital lobby. He looked desperately around for his prey, but came up empty. Cursing he spun around to find Angela, Hodgins and Zack staring at him.

Not bothering with formalities he grabbed Angela's arm. "Did you see a man just come though this door?"

Angela shoved him away. "Yeah some hospital staff person a few seconds before you. Why?"

"It was Pouerston! He just murdered Dr. Jamison in his office! Which way did he go?"

Hodgins gestured towards the automatic sliding glass doors. "He ran out there."

Seeing his target trying to blend in with the people dropping off patients, Ethan ran. He reached Pouerston a second after the man realized he'd been cornered. Grabbing his gun, Pouerston offered a taunting laugh before aiming, and blowing of half his head.

Blood spatter covered Ethan's clothes, hospital patrons screamed, and the F.B.I swarmed the area.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A nurse entered Brennan's room, checked her vitals, fluids, and fluffed her pillows then left. She didn't notice the small piece of folded yellow paper tucked into her patient's hand. A malicious bit of paper that would wreak havoc on all of the Jeffersonian Institute and the F.B.I. …

_So Pouerston's gone, but there are so many loose ends…._

_Who wrote the note to Brennan, and what does it say?_

_Is Ethan really a murderer or is there more to the story?_

_What will Booth do about Cam and the baby?_

_What's going to rock the Jeffersonian and F.B.I to their core?_

_Find out in the continuation of this story entitled 'Blinded by Obsession' the first chapter is already posted!_

_Enjoy and I love you all for your reviews! You rock!_


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